Jackson police invite public comment next week

Next week, Jackson’s police department will be assessed for reaccreditation, with a twist: the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA) will conduct the assessment virtually, and comments from the public are invited as part of the process.

On Oct. 12 and 13, CALEA assessors will examine all aspects of the department’s policies, procedures, operations and support services. The department has to comply with 189 standards to gain accredited status, police chief James Humphreys said in a news release.

Community members and agency personnel are invited to offer comments, the release stated.

Comments can be sent by telephone at (573) 243-2411 between 1 and 3 p.m. Oct. 13. The line is unrecorded and calls will be forwarded to assessment team members, the release stated. Comments are limited to 10 minutes.

Comments may also be emailed to calea@calea.org, with subject line “Jackson (MO) P. D. On-Site,” or mailed to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155.

All comments must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. A copy of the standards is available for review at the Jackson Police Department. For more information, contact the CALEA accreditation manager for the Jackson Police Department, Cpl. Rick Whitaker, at (573) 243-3151, ext. 2111.

Once the CALEA assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full commission, who will decide whether the agency is to be granted accreditation status. Should the commission award accredited status to the Jackson Police Department, it will be the department’s fifth award, Whitaker stated in the release.

Accreditation is valid for four years, during which time the agency must submit annual reports and have conducted a yearly review of compliance with standards, attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited, according to the release.