There is no greater investment in a police department than the men and women that are hired to serve their communities. Over 90% of the police budget is allocated to the police personnel and too often agencies fail to protect their investment through proper hiring practices, training, and supervision. Even with that knowledge police departments and police executives pay more attention to the damage of the police vehicles than to the health (physical and/or mental) of their police officers.

Today, police departments are overwhelmed with frivolous lawsuits and the loss of police personnel due to avoidable injuries and practices.

PSI has reviewed multiple police department’s practices in regards to the Internal Affairs function and has identified the best practices to ensure the professional development of a police officer and limit the loss and liability often associated with discipline.

Citizen complaints against Paterson police drop by 40 percent.
The Record, February 15, 2016

To Protect and Serve their communities’ police departments have to protect their most valued asset, the men and women of their department, through:

• Hiring
  • Recruitment
  • Qualifications
  • Background Checks
  • Oral Interviews
  • Psychological Exam
  • Medical Exam
• Training
  • Police Academy
  • On the Job Training
  • Field Training Program
  • Professional Development
• Supervision
  • Accountability
  • Evaluations
  • Roll Call Training
• Professional Standards Bureau
  • Internal Affairs
  • Staff Inspection
  • Training
  • Risk Management

The Professional Standards Bureau should reflect the policies and practices of the Department of Human Resources to ensure the hiring of all sworn and non-sworn personnel. The Professional Standards Bureau should be the Division given the responsibility to ensure the proper hiring training and supervision of all personnel within the police department.