LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — Protests have sparked conversations about police policies and procedures across the country.
It's one of the reasons why Lee's Summit Police Department shared some of the community's biggest concerns and questions surrounding their own practices.
The most frequently asked question was whether or not the department had body cameras.
Currently, the department does not have them. One of the reasons why was because of funding and COVID-19 delaying the process in getting them.
"Ninety-nine percent of the time it’s just good for both sides," Sgt. Chris Depue said. "It clears up confusion, it clears them for false complaints and false allegations as well as documents, anything that we can look at that would indicate malfeasance, so it protects both sides. The only stumbling block was costs. Had it not been for costs, we would’ve had them years ago."
However, because of a federal grant the department received and a no-tax bond issue that was passed last year, the department will be receiving them within the next four to six weeks. Each sworn officer will be getting a body camera.
Other questions community members asked were about the department's use-of-force policy and whether or not officers are allowed to shoot at or from moving vehicles.
The department stated, "The use of force is extremely rare in all citizen contacts. Officers unfortunately must use force in situations such as arrest or protecting citizens from threats of violence. Officers are trained and policy mandates the minimal level of force necessary in such situations."
"That seemed to be a big thing in the question base," Sgt. Depue said. "As well as, are officers allowed to intervene if they see another officer use excessive force? And the answer is unequivocally yes for us. It’s written in our policy."
The Lee's Summit Police Department is accredited through Calea, which is a law enforcement accrediting body whose acronym stands for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
"We’re required to have over 400 policies that meet standards that are industry best standards because Calea is made up of former and current law enforcement officials from all over the United States," Sgt. Chris Depue said.
According to its website, Calea was created in 1979 'through joint efforts of law enforcement’s major executive associations.' Those associations include:
- International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
- National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
- National Sheriffs' Association (NSA)
- Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)
"A lot of people talk about citizen oversight boards and things like that which are good, this is another way we hold ourselves accountable," Sgt. Depue said. "It took us almost nine years to gain that accreditation and we hold it very close to our hearts that we would never want to lose that accreditation."
Every three years, Depue said the department goes through a rigorous audit to comply with those standards.
Not every police department is accredited through Calea. To see if your local police department is accredited, click here.
