Police Policy Process Plows Forward

Evaluators representing a national organization looking to bestow the stamp of accreditation on the department will leave town Tuesday, having had the chance to hear from residents and eyeball the department up close.

The city has been working on achieving Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., or CALEA certification since 2009, by updating policies and procedures to meet industry standards.

A public hearing, part of the in-person visit by evaluators from police departments in Michigan and Texas, ended without comment Monday night when no one from the public appeared.

Daniel Shaw, Chief of Police for Norton Shores, Michigan, one of those in town for the evaluation, told members of the Creve Coeur police that a lack of attendance at such hearings isn't uncommon. In fact, Shaw said it happened at the last two CALEA hearings for his own department.

The evaluators spent time out in the field with members of the department and did take phone calls from the public Monday afternoon.  Shaw said they received five calls, expressing pleasure and displeasure for the move to obtain CALEA status. Shaw called it "some good input."

"I've been very impressed with the level of service the agency provides to the community and with the professionalism of the staff that we've had interactions with," Shaw said.

A report on this week's visit will now be forwarded to the Commission, which could vote to award accreditation next spring.

Anyone who wants to submit written comments can send them to:

Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Va., 20155.