Pomeroy PD among agencies earning recertification on Collaborative Board’s Standards

Pomeroy PD among agencies earning recertification on Collaborative Board’s Standards

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Office of Criminal Justice Services has announced the certification of five Ohio law enforcement agencies for state standards established by the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board. Five additional agencies achieved their recertification with one them being from Meigs County.

According to the Office of Criminal Justice Services, Pomeroy Police Department has received recertification.

Agencies completing the certification process have adopted and implemented the initial two standards regarding use of force and hiring and recruitment while the recertification process takes place on a revolving, three to four-year cycle.

Other agencies receiving recertification are Belpre Police Department, Salem Police Department, Silver Lake Police Department and Waterville Police Department.

Agencies recently certified are the Bellaire Police Department, Haskins Police Department, Monroe Police Department, Warrensville Heights Police Department and West Union Police Department.

Overall, there are 623 certified agencies throughout Ohio that have met the initial standards. Additionally, 29,442 officers (representing 87.74% of all law enforcement officers in Ohio, including most of Ohio’s metropolitan areas) are employed by an agency that is involved in some form of the certification process.

The Collaborative was formed in 2015 to create uniform minimum standards for Ohio’s law enforcement agencies. The first two standards were developed by the Collaborative in 2015 to improve the trust between citizens and law enforcement officers.

Additional standards established by the Collaborative address community engagement, bias-free policing, body-worn cameras, vehicular pursuits, telecommunicator training, employee misconduct, mass protests, agency wellness, interaction with minors, interaction with people in crisis, and property room management and evidence control. The standards are the first of their kind in Ohio and were developed and established by the Collaborative as part of the state’s efforts to strengthen community and police relations.

The state has partnered with the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police to help certify Ohio’s 900-plus law enforcement agencies on a process to ensure that they are in compliance with Ohio’s standards.