State inspectors visit Monroe

State inspectors visit Monroe

KENNETH HOFFMAN, Editor

August 09, 2007

Monroe Police are in for a busy three days in the beginning of September.

Inspectors from the state Police Officer Standards and Training council will visit the department on Sept. 11, 12, and 13 to evaluate operations and determine if it meets the standards for state accreditation.

"It's a matter of pride," said Lt. Brian McCauley, department accreditation manager. "And it protects the citizens because they will always know how they will be treated by the department."

The accreditation comes in three tiers. The department is already accredited at tier 1, which includes legal liability standards. The September inspection will be a renewal at tier 1.

The second tier covers professional conduct and practices, and the third is for general management of the department. These tiers will be new certifications for Monroe.

McCauley said the inspection would make for an intense few days.

The inspectors will review policy manuals to make sure procedures and general orders are in place for each of more than 300 standards.

Then, they will check to make sure the policies are in practice. They will check police reports for several years, interview officers and administrators and look at day-to-day operations for the three days they are on site.

In addition, employees and residents are invited to send comments about the department to the POST accreditation division at 285 Preston Ave., Meriden, or call 203-238-6026, fax 203-238-6643, or send an e-mail message to accreditation.compliance@po.state.ct.us.

If the department is successful, the certification will be good for three years before it will need to be renewed. During that time, the agency must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with the standards.

"We are making a better police department," McCauley said. "We're not doing this just to pass the inspection. It will make us more user friendly as well as more protected from liability."

For more information about the program, visit the council accreditation division website at ct.gov/post.