POLICE LICENSING AND STANDARDS OF CONDUCT - SUMMARY REPORT OF A NATIONAL CONFERENCE - AUGUST 27-29, 1978

• NCJ Number: 65789
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 22 pages
• Corporate Author: Spring Hill Ctr
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

LEGISLATION IN MINNESOTA WHICH ALTERED THE REGULATION OF PEACE OFFICER TRAINING AND STANDARDS OF CONDUCT IN THE STATE WAS DISCUSSED AT A NATIONAL CONFERENCE; SIGNIFICANT ISSUES ARE SUMMARIZED IN THIS REPORT.

Abstract

IN 1977, THE MINNESOTA PEACE OFFICER TRAINING BOARD (POST) WAS ESTABLISHED TO OVERSEE THE LICENSING OF PEACE OFFICERS AND TO SPECIFY THE LENGTH OF TIME FOR WHICH A LICENSE IS VALID. OTHER AMENDMENTS TO BASIC LEGISLATION CONCERNING POLICE TRAINING AND STANDARDS OF CONDUCT CREATED THREE ROUTES TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER AND INSTRUCTED CONSTABLES FROM POPULATIONS UNDER 1,000 TO MEET LICENSING REQUIREMENTS. AT THE CONFERENCE, THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATION WAS DISCUSSED. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE LEGISLATION WERE SEEN AS (1) THE IMPROVEMENT OF PEACE OFFICER TRAINING, (2) THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MINIMUM UNIFORM STANDARDS OF CONDUCT WITHIN A REGULATORY FRAMEWORK THAT ALLOWS FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THOSE STANDARDS, (3) THE PROVISION OF AN ORDERLY MEANS OF RESOLVING DISPUTES BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND THE PRESS, AND (4) THE PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC THROUGH STRINGENT PERFORMENCE STANDARDS. HOWEVER, RURAL COMMUNITIES HAVE OBJECTED TO THE SHIFT OF TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES AWAY FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES AND TO THE INCREASED COMPETITION WITH LARGER TOWNS FOR QUALIFIED OFFICERS. PARTICIPANTS ALSO DISCUSSED POLICE-COMMUNITY INTERACTION. AN OFFICIAL WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S COMMUNITY RELATIONS SERVICE (CRS) EXPLAINED CRS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE POLICE LICENSING ISSUE IN MINNESOTA AND OTHER STATES. DISCUSSION OF VARIOUS PROJECTS IN MINNESOA CONCERNING POLICE OFFICER TRAINING FOLLOWS COMMENTS BY A POST BOARD VICE CHAIRMAN ON THE HISTORY OF ESTABLISHING SELECTION STANDARDS IN THE STATE AND THEIR RATE OF SUCCESS AFTER IMPLEMENTATION. IN ADDITION, CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS OF STANDARDS OF CONDUCT RELATED TO THE SUBSTANCE OR CONTENT OF THESE STANDARDS, HOW THE SHOULD BE TIED TO LICENSING, AND PROCEDURES FOR ENFORCING THE STANDARDS AND IMPLEMENTING DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS. PARTICIPANTS GENERALLY RECOGNIZED THE OBLIGATION TO DEVELOP A LIST OF STANDARDS, THE DIFFICULTY OF ENFORCING GENERAL STANDARDS, AND THE NECESSITY OF INITIALLY MINIMIZING THE NUMBER OF STANDARDS. (WJR)