City of Morgan Hill Public Safety Master Plan

of-force management. Professional standards units uphold employment and performance standards that ensure individual agencies continue to be staffed by the highest caliber of personnel in the law enforcement profession. CPSM recommends the creation of a Professional Standards Unit within the Morgan Hill Police Department, and further recommends that it be directed by a sergeant. The rank of sergeant provides the appropriate supervisory authority to the individual assigned to this important unit and demonstrates the commitment of MHPD management to these essential functions. Establishing a Professional Standards Unit will enable management to address many important areas noted in this report, such as administrative investigation objectivity, consistent review and tracking of investigation and complaint documentation and data, the development of policies reflecting department practice, the implementation of personnel performance tracking and associated management reports. The unit can also relieve a department manager of employment hiring and processing, allowing better focus on personnel management duties. CPSM understands the budgetary and staffing limitations faced by MHPD, but creating this unit and identifying the recommended member for this role is critical. Internal Affairs Public trust is vital to the law enforcement mission, and this trust rests on departmental responsiveness to community needs and expectations. To foster public confidence and to promote constructive communication, commendations and complaints must be received with equal professional interest and courtesy, and both must be given appropriate supervisory and management attention. The Morgan Hill Police Department (MHPD) protocol for reporting and investigating public complaints and employee misconduct is established in MHPD policy 1020, “Personnel Complaint Procedure.” MHPD policy 340, “Conduct,” supplements policy 1020 by providing additional detail to the investigative process. It also outlines conduct expectations for MHPD personnel and the administrative processes for imposing employee discipline. The MHPD complaint form is maintained for public access in the police station lobby. An online complaint form is available through a link that can be found on the police department website. CPSM staff reviewed the policies and found them to be comprehensive. The written policy identifies a personnel complaint as any allegation of misconduct or improper job performance against any department employee that, if true, would constitute a violation of department policy or federal, state or local law. Policy directs that complaints be classified into one Recommendation:  CPSM recommends creation of a Professional Standards Unit under the direction of a Sergeant. The duties and responsibilities of the unit should include internal affairs, training coordinator, employment services/personnel, policy development, and force review at a minimum.

Police Operations and Data Analysis Report, Morgan Hill, California

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