KCK Police Department accepting public comments today as part of accreditation process

The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department is scheduled to have an on-site assessment as part of the process for accreditation.

Two ways for the public to comment are scheduled today.

Agency employees and members of the community may offer comments at a public information session at 6 p.m. Monday, March 26, in the Commission Chambers, lobby level, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

Agency employees and the community also may share their comments by phone with the assessment team. A phone-in session will be conducted between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Monday, March 26. Agency employees and the community may contact the assessors by calling 913-573-6001.

Telephone comments and appearances at the public information sessions are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA standards, according to the department’s public notice. The standards are on file at police headquarters, 700 Minnesota Ave.

The purpose of the accreditation process is to show the department meets professional standards, according to a news release from the department.

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA) was scheduled to arrive Sunday, March 25, to examine all aspects of the department’s policy and procedure, administration, operations and support services, according to the department. The accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas.

In addition to the meeting and the phone session, persons may submit written comments about the department’s ability to comply with the standards of accreditation to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia 20155.