HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-22-17 Packet
AGENDA
CITY OF MAPLEWOOD
POLICE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
8:00 a.m.
Council Chambers—Maplewood City Hall
1830 County Road B East
A. Call to Order
B. Roll Call
C. Approval of Agenda
D. Approval of Minutes:
1. February 6, 2017
E. New Business
1. Consider Approval of Background Investigations for Police Officer
Candidates and Certify Names for Vacancy
2. Consider Approval of Non-Traditional Suburban Law Enforcement
Training Recruitment Process
3. Consider Approval of Public Safety Director/Police Chief
Recruitment Process
F. Unfinished Business
G. Commission Presentations
H. Staff Presentations
I. Adjourn
MINUTES
CITY OF MAPLEWOOD
POLICE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
Monday, February 6, 2017
8:00 a.m.
Council Chambers—Maplewood City Hall
1830 County Road B East
A. Call to Order
B. Roll Call
Commissioners: Debra Birkholz, Chair, present
Jim Meehan, Secretary, present
Lisa Liddell, Commissioner, present
Others: Terrie Rameaux, Staff Liaison, present
Mike Funk, Assistant City Manager / Human
Resource Director, present
C. Approval of Agenda
Commissioner Liddell motioned to approve the agenda.
Commissioner Meehan seconded. Ayes: All
The motion passed.
D. Rotation of Chair and Secretary
Commissioner Birkholz motioned to elect Jim Meehan as the chair of the
commission. Commissioner Liddell seconded. Ayes: All
The motion passed.
Commissioner Birkholz motioned to elect Lisa Liddell as the secretary of
the commission. Commissioner Meehan seconded. Ayes: All
The motion passed.
E. Approval of Minutes:
Commissioner Liddell motioned to approve the Meeting Minutes for
January 12, 2017.
Commissioner Birkholz seconded. Ayes: All
The motion passed.
F. New Business
1. Discussion on Recruitment for a Public Safety Director/Police
Chief
Ms. Rameaux and Mr. Funk addressed the Commission and answered
questions regarding the proposed recruitment process.
G. Unfinished Business
Ms. Rameaux discussed her findings from other municipalities regarding
running more than one eligibility list at a time. She also reported that she
is waiting to hear back from the City’s HR Attorney.
H. Visitor Presentations
I. Commission Presentations
J. Staff Presentations
Ms. Rameaux reported that Ashley Bergeron will be sworn in as a new
officer on Monday, February 13, 2017.
K. Adjourn
Commissioner Meehan motioned to adjourn the meeting at 8:13 am.
Commissioner Liddell seconded. Ayes: All
The motion passed.
E1
MEMORANDUM
TO: Police Civil Service Commission
FROM: Terrie Rameaux, Human Resource Coordinator/Staff Liaison
DATE: March 17, 2017
SUBJECT: Consider Approval of Background Investigations for Police Officer
Candidates and Certify Names for Vacancy
Introduction/Background
Background packets were sent out to the remaining eight candidates on the Eligibility
List in late December 2016. The Police Department has completed backgrounding on
five of the remaining eight candidates on the eligibility list. The backgrounds have been
labeled randomly #6 through #10 for anonymity.
Police Chief Schnell is requesting that the Commission review the attached completed
background investigations on these five candidates and certify the candidates. Upon
certification, the next step is to make a conditional offer to one of the candidates, with
the approval of the City Manager. That candidate still must complete and pass the pre-
employment physical, physical agility and the psychological exams.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Police Civil Service Commission approve candidates #6
through #10 and certify for vacancy.
Attachments
1. Background Investigations—CONFIDENTIAL—Commissioners/Staff only
City of Maplewood Human Resources 1830 County Road B East Maplewood, MN 55109
Office 651-249-2051 Fax 651-249-2059 www.maplewoodmn.gov
MEMORANDUM
TO: Maplewood Police Civil Service Commission
FROM: Mike Funk, Assistant City Manager / HR Director
Cc: Mayor Slawik and City Council
Melinda Coleman, City Manager
DATE: March 20, 2017
SUBJECT: Consider Approval of Non-Traditional Suburban Law Enforcement Training Recruitment
Process
Introduction
The City of Maplewood is exploring a new initiative that aims to create a non-traditional pathway to law
enforcement careers. The initiative, which is modeled after a program the Minnesota State Patrol utilizes, is being
organized by a group of suburban cities and is intended to help diversify the ranks of licensed police officers by
attracting non-traditional candidates.
To date, the following six (6) agencies have committed to this partnership: City of Bloomington, City of St.
Louis Park, City of Richfield, City of Hastings, City of Maplewood, and the Minneapolis Airport Police
Department.
Background
The program would hire individuals without any law enforcement education or experience as Police Trainees.
This full time position would pay $20.50 per hour (approximately 70% of the starting wage for police officers
from participating agencies), plus benefits, while they attend a 14 week school at Hennepin Tech. Once they
graduate from the program and pass the state licensing exam, they would be promoted to probationary police
officer. The goal is to remove barriers for people who may be interested in a career in law enforcement but
cannot afford to leave their jobs and go back to school in hopes that they will find a police officer position at the
end.
This is not intended to replace our traditional hiring processes, in which we hire candidates only after they have
completed school and past the POST exam, but rather to supplement it. It is based on the premise that if we want
different results, we have to do some things differently. Early recruitment for the program already began last fall
and interviews are currently underway. This effort will help us achieve the City’s racial equity initiatives and to
hire employees more reflective of the city’s demographics.
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
Budget Impact
The multi-city effort has the goal of grouping together one or two Police Trainees from each of the participating
agencies in order to have a large enough group for Hennepin Tech to run the program. The estimated cost to the
City is $30,000 per trainee, which includes the coursework at Hennepin Tech plus wages and benefits for the 14
weeks of schooling.
Recommendation
It is recommended the City of Maplewood continue a partnership in this program.
Attachments
1. Suburban Law Enforcment Training Overviw
2. Memo dated September 16, 2016
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
Suburban Law Enforcement Training (SLET)
Overview
SLET is designed to bring non-traditional candidates into the field of law enforcement, thereby diversifying the
ranks of suburban police departments and more closely aligning departments to the communities they serve.
Individuals looking for a new career path and a way to make a difference in their communities are encouraged
to apply.
Qualifications
No law enforcement training or experience required – just a desire to serve the community through policing,
and the ability to complete the required training and pass the licensing exam.
Applicants must have a 2 or 4 year degree from a regionally accredited college, university or technical school,
but it can be in any field of study. Must be a U.S. citizen with a valid driver’s license and no felony convictions.
The program specifically seeks those with the ability to fluently speak and proficiently read and write a second
language, in addition to English, and who have experience living or working with non-white populations.
How the Program Works
Successful applicants will be hired as Police Trainees by a participating suburban police department. This is a
full-time position paying $20.50 per hour, plus insurance and pension benefits. As a Police Trainee, individuals
will attend 40 hours a week of college coursework and training at Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park,
for approximately 14 weeks, and then take the state licensing exam for police officers. All course fees and
equipment is paid for.
Upon graduation and successful completion of the licensing exam, Trainees will be promoted to probationary
Police Officers and begin their career in law enforcement just like any other new officer.
Timeline & Selection Process
Interested individuals complete a single application form that will be routed to multiple participating
departments. After interviews, background checks and various pre-employment evaluations, successful
candidates will be given a job offer and enrolled in the inaugural SLET program, starting May, 2017.
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
To: Suburban Law Enforcement Training (SLET) cities
From: Ali Timpone (SLP), Jesse Swenson (Richfield), Kris Wilson (Bloomington)
Subject: Recruitment Process – Police Trainee
Date: September 16, 2016
Background: Suburban police departments have recognized a need for proactive efforts to attract and retain
police officer candidates who mirror the racial and gender demographics of our cities. This campaign is being
conducted with the goal of advancing racial and gender equity within law enforcement agencies and specifically
to recruit non-traditional candidates with no law enforcement degree preparation or specific experience.
Job Description and Position Details: The position “Police Trainee” has been created with a common job
description for participating law enforcement agencies. Interested individuals with a minimum associates (2 year)
degree from any regionally accredited institution in any discipline will be eligible to apply. Successful candidates
would be offered a full-time benefits-included position and attend an accelerated peace officer education and
training program designed to fulfill licensure eligibility under Minnesota POST Board rules. Upon successful
completion of the program and POST licensure candidates will transition to probationary peace officers.
Candidates will be expected to provide a minimum two year employment commitment. A copy of the job
description is attached.
I. October 10, 2016 – March 1, 2017: Position Posting: The opening will be posted from October 10,
2016 to March 1, 2017 to allow for an extensive marketing campaign to target non-traditional candidates.
Press releases, press conferences, social media campaigns, outreach to local media, and job fair
participation will be targeted. Police Department tours and ride along experiences will be encouraged.
Family involvement will be encouraged to assure candidates are supported as they consider this career.
Applications will be accepted at a central website and each candidate will indicate which city (or cities) to
which they would like to apply.
II. December 5, 2016 & February 6, 2017: Oral Interviews: All applicants who meet minimum
qualifications will be granted an initial interview. First interviews will be conducted on December 5,
2016 and February 6, 2017 (tentatively). The initial interviews will be conducted jointly for all
participating agencies. The interview panels will include law enforcement and human resources
representation, as well as two community members with appropriate backgrounds in the program
strategies. Interview questions and a scoring matrix will be designed and panelists will be trained to
identify candidates the campaign seeks to attract. Candidates will be evaluated using core values of
integrity and service as well as other key characteristics required to be a successful police officer.
Veterans Preference points will be added to candidate interview scores.
Candidates will preselect agencies they aspire to for possible employment. Upon completion of the first round
interviews successful candidates will be identified to those cities for further consideration. It is possible that some
candidates will be listed on multiple cities’ lists.
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
III. Second Interviews: Candidates who pass the first round of interviews may be invited to a second round
of interviews conducted by the specific agencies, to be conducted within the designated calendar time
frame for the program.
IV. March 21, 2017: Background Investigations Completed: Candidates who have successfully passed
interviews will proceed to background investigations by agencies. In the effort to avoid duplicated
background work, discussion will be required on coordination of these tasks.
V. April 7, 2017: Conditional Offers of Employment: Following the background investigation, successful
candidates may receive offers of employment as Police Trainees, conditional upon successful completion
of a pre-employment physical examination, drug test and psychological exam.
VI. April 21, 2017: Pre-Employment Testing Complete: Pre-employment physical examinations, drug
tests, and psychological exams must be completed by April 21, 2017.
VII. May 8-12, 2017: Start Date for Police Trainees: Police Trainees begin employment with chosen cities.
Duties will include: completing new hire orientation, enrollment in benefits, ordering uniforms and
equipment, etc.
VIII. May 15, 2017: Training Begins: Newly hired Police Trainees begin the training program, attending
class for 40 hours per week for approximately 14 weeks (ending approximately August 18, 2017).
IX. August 10, 24, or September 21, 2017 (as needed): POST Exam: Police Trainees take POST licensing
exam.
X. Target of September 1, 2017 (or as determined by each agency): Swearing In: Police Trainees who
successfully pass the POST exam get sworn in as probationary Police Officers for each respective agency.
City of Maplewood Human Resources 1830 County Road B East Maplewood, MN 55109
Office 651-249-2051 Fax 651-249-2059 www.maplewoodmn.gov
MEMORANDUM
Date: March 20, 2017
To: Maplewood Police Civil Service Commission
Cc: Mayor Slawik and City Council
Melinda Coleman, City Manager
From: Mike Funk, Assistant City Manager/Human Resource Director
Re: Hiring Process, Director of Public Safety
Director of Public Safety, Paul Schnell, recently indicated his intent to retire. While Mr. Schnell does
not have a specified retirement date, he has chosen to provide the city with this courtesy so we may
proactively proceed with his replacement. It is therefore recommended the Maplewood Police Civil
Service Commission initiate the recruitment process for Director of Public Safety.
The purpose of this memo is to outline a recommended hiring process. It is the goal of Human
Resources and the City Manager to create a thoroughly vetted process to proactively identify and hire
positive attributes of candidates who possess the values, character traits, and leadership styles reflective
of community principles. It is also essential that we also use the process to identify and screen out those
candidates who do not possess the needed values and character traits, as well as those who are unethical,
explicitly biased, or otherwise unfit to serve in this position.
To better understand community needs, priorities, and expectations for this position, the Human
Resource Department solicited input from approximately 90 people from the following six (6) cross-
represented groups: the Maplewood Police Civil Service Commission, Mayor and City Council, the Use
of Force Work Group, City of Maplewood Department Heads, the Police Department Staff, and the Fire
Department Staff.
The job description is attached for your review, as well as the proposed advertisement. In addition, the
“Prologue” of the Maplewood Police Department Policy Manual is attached. This Prologue provides the
institutional framework and value system of the Maplewood Police Department. Elements outlined in
the Prologue will be used in formulating interview questions used throughout the hiring process.
The Communications staff is creating a position profile that provides prospective candidates with
information about the City, the role itself, qualifications, department priorities, and a tentative hiring
timeline. Despite a relatively aggressive hiring process, at the earliest, a conditional offer could be made
the third week of June. An internal candidate could begin shortly thereafter, however, if the position is
offered to an outside candidate, it likely that the selected candidate will need to give a four week notice.
To that end, the selected candidate will not likely assume their new role until late July.
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
The selection process is as follows:
Advertise Monday, March 27, 2017
Application closing Date Friday, April 21, 2017
Supplemental Question Review/PEP April 24, 2017 - May 5, 2017
First Interview Week of May 15, 2017
Police Civil Service Commission Meetings Late May/Early June
(Finalists (Top 3) Identified)
Public Interview/Assessments/Background Week of June 12, 2017
Conditional Offer by City Manager Week of June 19, 2017
Start Date July, 2017
Phase One - 3 scored elements:
1. Application review for minimum qualifications – 40% Weighted
Application scoring rubric:
• Meets minimum qualifications = 65 points
• Command-level experience
o 3-5 years of Command Level Experience = 5 points
o 6-10 years of Command Level Experience = 10 points
o Over 10 years of Command Level Experience = 15 points
• Experience in a public safety (Police/Fire/EMS) environment = 10 points
• Advanced Degree (Masters or doctoral degree) = 5 points
• Successful completion of a law enforcement command school (including, FBI National
Academy, Northwestern Staff & Command, Southern Police Institute, Minnesota
Chiefs of Police Association -Advanced CLEO and Command Seminar, or equivalent
= 5 points
Maximum Score = 100 points
Note: To be scored by Human Resources
2. Scored Supplemental Questionnaire - 40% Weighted
• Each applicant will submit written responses to five supplemental questions worth
20 points each.
Maximum Score = 100 points
Note: Applicant submissions will be scored by three internal reviewers and three
external reviewers.
3. Personnel Evaluation Profile (PEP) – 20% Weighted
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
The PEP is one of the finest scientifically and cross-validated pre-employment screening tools
available. Survey results are presented in the form of a graph allowing hiring officials to easily
compare applicants. Itemized responses provide the interviewer with direct insight as to the
applicant’s general character and value system – information that may not be found in a standard
interview or reference checking. The survey also contains several sophisticated scoring
mechanisms to identify applicants trying to manipulate or create a “good impression” on the
survey.
Maximum Score= 100 points
Top scoring candidates will move to Phase Two
Phase Two – 3 scored elements:
1. Phase One Score – 15 % Weighted
2. Panel Interviews – 65% Weighted
Each candidate will participate in three panel interviews. The interview panels will consist of a
maximum of 6 members and are as follows: police employees, city department heads, community
based (business leaders, youth, and Use of Force Work Group).
a. Each panel will be equally weighted.
b. The final score from each panel will be an average of the panelists scores
c. The scores of from each panel shall be averaged to create the final score and ranking for
Phase Two
3. Candidates will complete an online leadership and skills assessment – 20% Weighted
Phase Three – Maplewood Police Civil Service Commission meetings:
1. Police Civil Service Commission meeting #1. The scores from Phase One and Phase Two will
be tabulated and presented to the Maplewood Police Civil Service Commission. The
Commission will take the following two actions:
a. Certify the eligibility list with the identification of the three finalists.
b. Authorize a comprehensive background investigation to be performed on the three
finalists.
2. Police Civil Service Commission meeting #2. The commission will convene to review the
background information. Provided the background information is approved, the names of the
three finalists shall be certified to the City Manager and whose names will become public. The
three candidates will move on to Phase 4.
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
Phase Four – 3 scored and 1 unscored elements:
1. Each of the three finalists will participate in an evening public meet and greet and open forum –
15% Weighted.
The open forum (question and answer) will be facilitated by the Assistant City Manager/Human
Resource Director. Members of the public will submit their scores/feedback to the City Manager
for decision-making consideration. Scores will be averaged.
2. Each of the three finalists will participate in a 30-minute City Council Workshop interview –
35% Weighted.
Councilmembers will submit scores/feedback to the City Manager for decision-making
consideration.
3. Each of the three finalists will undergo a leadership assessment with the police department’s
contract psychologist- unscored.
Results of the assessment will be used in the final interview with the City Manager and Assistant
City Manager.
4. Each of the three finalists will participate in a final interview with the City Manager and
Assistant City Manager – 50% Weighted.
Phase Five - City Manager makes conditional offer of employment conditioned on the successful
completion of the following:
1. Pre-employment physical
2. Pre-employment psychological
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
City of Maplewood
POSITION PROFILE
Effective Date: November 2015
Position Title:
Director of Public Safety
Status:
Exempt
Department:
Police & Fire Department
Approved:
Accountable to:
City Manager
Union: N/A
Primary Objectives
Performs administrative and managerial work directing police & fire operations involving the protection
and safety of the community through prevention and control of crime, preserving the peace, regulating
traffic, and providing fire, EMS, and emergency management medical services; performs related duties
as required.
Supervision Received
Works under the general or administrative supervision of the City Manager as a department head.
Supervision Exercised
Provides general supervision over police and fire department staff either directly or through supervisory
staff.
MAJOR AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY
* 1. Recommends organizational structure, staffing and functioning to maximize most effective use
of resources and selects strategies for evaluating, monitoring, and reporting. Supervises upper
level senior management to ensure effective operation of the department in compliance with
administrative policies and procedures. Maintains chain of command for proper accountability
and communications. Plans, directs, manages and evaluates police & fire personnel and
operations, coordinates law enforcement and crime prevention activities.
* 2. Evaluates crime prevention and control policies and keeps abreast of the latest improvements in
the field of law enforcement science.
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
* 3. Assumes personal command, as per department policy, for major police emergencies or
situations; advises and directs personnel in proper enforcement of laws and ordinances and
revises or assists in revising ordinances as needed.
4. Develops long- and short-term goals for the department and oversees implementation; develops
and administers programs as needed to improve service to the community and prevent and/or
deter crime.
* 5. Determines staffing and equipment needs for police & fire service, approves purchase requests
and oversees the preparation of an annual police budget for review by the City Manager.
* 6. Administers the Police & Fire Operations budget, oversees contracts services, oversees or
approves major expenditures and manages inventory, assets and special funds.
7. Oversees preparations of grant applications and ensures all requirements are met.
* 8. Manages business affairs including ensuring injury reports and claims, personnel and payroll
records, and financial reports and forms are completed and submitted in a timely manner.
* 9. Develops and implements policies and procedures for effective operation of the Department
consistent with City policies and relevant laws, rules, and regulations; ensures Council actions
are implemented.
10. Provides advice and recommendations to the City Manager and department heads; reviews
proposals submitted by management staff and makes appropriate comments and suggestions.
* 11. Works with City Prosecutor to ensure coordination with the Police Department in the
prosecution of misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor cases. Coordinates required procedure, law,
and/or ordinance updates and revisions.
* 12. Works with County Attorney’s office to coordinate juvenile and adult prosecutions. Maintains a
good working relationship between the prosecutor’s office and the police department.
13. Works with state, federal and county agencies to solicit assistance with investigations of major
felonies; works cooperatively with these agencies to plan response to regional issues, participates
in planning joint task forces and crime prevention and control affecting more than our
community.
* 14. Supervises staff and volunteers including: recommending or approving hiring, promotions,
demotions, reward, discipline, assignments, layoff, and discharge; overseeing staffing; adjusting
grievances; and assigning and reviewing work.
* 15. Oversees the development, training and emergency deployment of reserve officers and
volunteers.
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
* 16. Oversees or prepares reports and maintains records of police & fire operations and activities.
17. Oversees the background investigations for licensing including: alcohol, weapons,
employment, gambling, etc.
* 18. Reviews written reports regarding police and EMS response and actions involving police
department personnel.
* 19. Reviews and authorizes work-related educational and safety programs; holds regular staff
meetings to ensure effective communication within the department.
20. Participates actively in interdepartmental management activities.
21. Assesses community satisfaction with police, fire, EMS, and emergency management service
delivery and implements programs and policies in response to community public safety issues.
22. Formulates policy for response to citizen inquiries and complaints; investigates complaints and
concerns and responds appropriately.
* 23. Represents the City with the media as needed or assigned.
24. Oversees or conducts internal affairs investigations; works with Human Resource Director and
City Manager to determine appropriate resolution.
25. Performs other duties as needed or assigned.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
* Thorough knowledge of law enforcement policy, practices, procedures, and techniques including
rules of evidence, search and seizure, use of force continuum, etc.
* Thorough knowledge of federal, state and local laws, and department policies.
* Considerable knowledge of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act as it applies to law
enforcement.
* Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of law enforcement management.
* Considerable knowledge of the standards, methods, and operations of an EMS service.
* Considerable skill in handling and discharging firearms in a safe and efficient manner.
* Considerable ability to manage, supervise and direct subordinates and to delegate effectively to
supervisory staff.
* Considerable ability to plan, coordinate, direct and evaluate police operations.
* Considerable ability to analyze situations and determine appropriate action and to respond or
direct response quickly and appropriately to crisis and emergency situations.
* Considerable ability to develop and enforce department policies and procedures.
* Considerable ability to maintain effective working relationships and to maintain strict
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
confidentiality.
* Considerable ability to read and analyze facts and recommendations and determine appropriate
course of action or make sound recommendations.
* Considerable ability to cope with situations firmly, courteously, and with respect for citizens'
rights.
* Considerable ability to apply laws to specific incidents.
* Considerable ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, including report
preparation, meeting facilitation and presentations before groups.
* Considerable ability to promptly respond to citizen inquiries with tact and diplomacy.
* Considerable ability to manage critical incident operations.
* Considerable ability to meet budget targets and scheduling deadlines.
* Working ability to stand, walk and sit, occasionally for long periods of time.
* Working ability to use fine motor skills to manipulate objects requiring manual dexterity to
operate a computer and other department equipment.
* Considerable ability to drive safely and legally, to follow emergency driving protocols, and
maintain a good driving record.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Must be licensed under the rules and regulations of the Minnesota Boards of Peace Officers
Standards and training (P.O.S.T) or ability to obtain by hire date.
Must have attained a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, law enforcement, Police or Public
Administration or equivalent (no substitution for four year college requirement).
Ten years’ experience as a sworn peace officer in a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency.
Six years supervisory experience, with a minimum of two years command staff experience in a
municipal public safety agency.
Possess a valid and unrestricted Minnesota driver’s license or be able to obtain one prior to
employment.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Master’s degree in Business, Public Administration, or related field.
* Note: Asterisked items are essential to the job.
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
MAPLEWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICY MANAUL
PROLOGUE
Community Guidance to Our Police Officers
The following are recommendations that we hope will serve as guidance to our police department and
our police officers. As a community, we place enormous trust in you. Within a framework of laws and
rules, we provide you immense powers to take the necessary actions to maintain and grow community
safety. We understand that enforcement of law is only one small element of your role. We know you
spend considerable time maintaining order and serving the varied needs of our increasingly diverse
community. Because of your role, we expect much of you and hold you to a higher standard associated
with the power we grant you.
We also want to be clear that we, as a community, have and take responsibility to care about you. We
want our police officers to be well-trained and well-equipped. We want you to be safe. We recognize
the unpredictability of your role and the difficult balance of employing practices to maximize your
safety without overstepping your authority. We understand that over your career you will be exposed to
horrible tragedies, heartbreaking examples of human failure, and periodically you’ll catch a glimpse of
real evil. Our concern is for your whole person – your physical safety and well-being, as well as, your
emotional safety and well-being.
Finally, we acknowledge that the guidance we provide below may cause some frustration for those
serving as police officers. We recognize that your frustration stems from the understandable perception
that we don’t understand the variability and risk inherent in your work. In truth, we can’t fully
appreciate those factors first-hand, but that does not alleviate our expectation that you use your
authorized powers only to the extent necessary to accomplish community and officer safety objectives.
Despite the immense powers granted to you, we expect that abundant use of restraint will guide your
dealings with those you encounter without sacrificing your own safety.
We understand that the “master recommendations” or guidance we provide here is not the measuring
stick by which your actions are to be judged. Instead, we ask that as you go about your work in service
to the people of Maplewood you remember that those who live, work, or visit here are the community
you serve. We, as the recipients of your services and grantors of your authority, expect that you will
represent us fairly, serve us honorably, and apply your very best judgement to the challenges you face.
Recommendation 1:
In accordance with the Final Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, we
concur that trust between the police and the people they protect and serve is essential in a
democracy. This trust is key to community stability, justice system integrity, and the safe and
effective delivery of police services. (“President’s Task Force,” 2015)
Based on our limited study of the nature of your work, we recommend that our police officers:
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
Adopt a guardian mindset in service to our community, along with warrior focus and skills for those rare
circumstances in which immediate action is demanded to ensure your safety or the safety of the
community.
Build trust by engaging in activities that promote trust particularly in pockets of the community that
have typically had higher rates of investigative and enforcement involvement.
Recognize the importance of cultural competence and demonstrate a willingness to address and work
across community differences.
Acknowledge that differences in culture, race, and backgrounds inform our perspectives and
sensibilities, including implicit biases.
Recognize the impact of historical trauma on the part of those you encounter, and maintain a sensitivity
for the impact of trauma on you and other members of the department.
Demonstrate a commitment to community oriented policing that is:
• “Responsible, responsive, and respectful”
• “Focused on the safety of officers and the community”
• “Focused on community-building”
• “Encouraging and inviting community input, questions, and critique”
Interact with people in our community in ways that reflect:
• Acceptance of the unique needs and perspectives of all people, to the extent possible.
• De-escalation from violence and conflict to the extent possible.
• Use of only a reasonable amount of force necessary to bring about a lawful objective.
• Awareness of power imbalances inherent in many interactions.
• Respectfulness and professionalism (even when treated discourteously).
• Regard for the sanctity of life
Recommendation 2:
We expect our police department to recognize the critical intersection of fairness with respect to
race and identity. To that end:
Ranking police department leadership, specifically the Chief of Police, has the duty to ensure that:
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
• Officers are responsible for being aware of implicit racial bias and its impact on their perceptions
and actions, and are expected to undertake their best efforts to mitigate the impact of implicit
bias on their work.
• Officers are expected to seek and create relationships across differences.
The Department will discharge this duty in part through:
• Professional development that reflects the best understanding of the way complex social
factors influence and affect policing and community trust.
• Training that prepares officers to consistently act in accordance with the City’s objectives in
achieving racial equity.
• Active supervision, management, and mentorship of all personnel.
• Operational and supervisory reviews of critical incidents with respect to the potential impact
of race or cultural factors in those incidents.
• Responsively addressing rare but established officer wrongdoing through formal discipline
processes, restorative justice practices, other procedurally just approaches.
• Regular measurement and annual public reporting of data on the City’s policing outcomes
and use of force incidents in ways that provides appropriate scrutiny and drive continuous
improvement.
• Hiring and promotion of supervisory and command-level officers (including the Chief of
Police) who have a strong, demonstrated commitment to racial equity and cultural
competence coupled with effective policing.
Recommendation 3:
Since effective policing is inherently relational, the department must provide training that reflects
the expectation that officers will act with sensitivity and competence with respect to those they
encounter who fall in the broad categories of:
• Those experiencing mental health and wellness challenges, chronic or acute.
• Those with differing physical, mental, emotional, and developmental capacities both
situational and longer-term, ranging from obvious to hidden.
• Those who are chemically dependent or impaired, both chronically and acutely.
City of Maplewood – Human Resources
• Those who have experienced trauma, including police officers.
The Use of Force Workgroup adopts the Maplewood Police Department Policy Manual Prologue,
“Community Guidance to Our Police Officers,” this 22nd day of February 2017.
References:
President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. 2015. Final Report of the President’s Task Force on
21st Century Policing. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.