Page 4 - Springettsbury Township News - Fall 2020

page 4 Springettsbury Township Newsettsbury Township News
Spring
Springettsbury Township Board of Supervisors Recognize the Police Department

for Its Dedication to the Equal Application of the Law for All Citizens

The Springettsbury Township Board of Community Engagement • The Police Department has initiated random
Supervisors approved Resolution 2020-45 on • The Police Department was a founding Body-Worn Camera reviews for every officer.
June 25, 2020, recognizing and commending the member of and actively participates in the The Platoon Sergeants randomly select a
efforts of the Springettsbury Township Police Pastors and Chiefs organization. This program video from every officer in their platoons
Department for its dedication to maintaining the was developed with the goal of ensuring social and review the video content. They examine
highest standards of police services and for striving justice and developing “One York” where all actions of the officer to ascertain if they are
to insure that all citizens are treated fairly and with in compliance with the law, all applicable
the dignity and respect that they deserve. people are treated fairly and with the dignity policies, and the tenets of unbiased policing
and respect they deserve.
The Springettsbury Township Police Department • In 2018, the Police Department developed and procedural justice. Any action found to
is accredited through the Pennsylvania Law not be in compliance is handled through the
Enforcement Accreditation Commission. The a Community Service Officer program to department’s disciplinary system.
Police Department has partnered with the United allow options for a non-sworn member of • The Police Department has updated complaint
States Department of Justice to review every the department to respond to and handle and compliment forms to allow for easier
aspect of the department and assist in bringing the non-emergency, quality of life calls within access and ability for people to report a
Police Department’s polices and standards up to the Township. This program gives members concern with an officer or report officers doing
national best practice level. of the community a feeling of security as
the Community Service Officer carries no a good job for the community. The forms are
The Police Department implemented a Body- weapons and therefore is less of an authority/ available online on the Police and Township
Worn Camera program in 2018 to improve crime prevention figure. websites, in the Police Department lobby, in
transparency with the community. the Township building lobby, and are carried
• The Police Department has designated each
The Police Department’s accreditation, officer of the department as Community by every officer on patrol for ease of access to
partnership with the Department of Justice, the Policing Officers. The overarching goal of the forms. Every complaint or compliment is
Body-Worn Camera program, in conjunction the Community Policing Initiative is to guide investigated, and the appropriate action taken.
with policies and practices have all been utilized and increase community interaction with
to provide the highest standards of police and support of the Police Department and its Police Department Accountability
services for the community. • The supervisory team of the Police
personnel with the goal of improving residents
The Police Department has implemented trust, understanding, and satisfaction with Department reviews every policy, General
policies and practices in the following areas: police services. Order, and the Rules of Conduct on a yearly
Use of Force, Community Engagement, Police basis. This is done in stages, several policies
Officer Accountability, Police Department Police Officer Accountability reviewed each month at monthly Supervisor’s
Accountability, and Officer Wellness. • The Police Department has enacted an Meetings. Additionally, if an incident does
Early Intervention System (EIS) to increase occur involving an officer, in addition to the
Use of Force investigation of the officer, the applicable
officer accountability. This program is
Use of force is defined as any force used to intended to assist the Police Department policies, General Orders, and Rule of Conduct
overcome a subject who is non-compliant. in identifying officers and other employees are reviewed to determine their validity.
• Since 2010, the Police Department has whose performance warrants review and, • Every candidate for the position of Police
restricted the use of chokeholds only for those where appropriate, intervene in circumstances Officer is thoroughly vetted prior to an offer
instances where the use of deadly force is that may have negative consequences for the of employment being made. Testing includes
warranted. employee, fellow employees, the agency, and/ a physical examination, a psychological
or the general public. Factors tracked through examination, a polygraph examination, a
• The Police Department requires de-escalation physical agility test, a complete and thorough
to be used by all police officers when the the EIS include: Internal Investigations, citizen background investigation, and a ride-along
situation allows and does not jeopardize the complaints, disciplinary actions, vehicle with officers to determine the candidate’s
safety of the officer, suspect, victim, or other pursuits, use of force incidents, police vehicle ability to work in the police field, specifically
members of the public. collisions, and prisoner injuries. A select
number of any of these factors individually, in Springettsbury Township.
• Police Department policy requires that police or combination thereof, will initiate an officer
officers have a duty to intercede if they witness review by the department’s EIS Team. • The ability to report officer misconduct
another police officer using excessive or has been made easier through the updated
unnecessary force. • The Police Department has reformatted its complaint and compliment policy. This
Officer Appraisal System to incorporate it allows for a more agile Internal Investigations
• Police Department policy requires that every with the EIS. Officer Appraisals are now format where complaints are not stifled by
use of force is reported and reviewed. done on a quarterly basis for every officer. In a cumbersome reporting process. Every
• Police Department policy requires that every the quarterly appraisal sessions, officers are complaint of misconduct is thoroughly
use of force goes through three levels of informed of deficiencies and have the ability investigated by either Springettsbury Township
review: immediate supervisor, Lieutenant, to discuss any issue with their immediate Internal Investigations, or in matters of gross
and Chief. All in-car camera and body-worn supervisor. The appraisal forms are reviewed misconduct, by an outside agency such as the
camera footage is reviewed as part of this by the officer’s immediate supervisor, the York County District Attorney’s Office or the
process. Operations Lieutenant, and the Chief. Pennsylvania State Police.