CALEA Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

On October 21, 2010, the Prince William County Economic Development Department sponsored a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Commission's new corporate office. Pictured from left to right: CALEA Treasurer James N. Robey, Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart, CALEA Chair Louis M. Dekmar, CALEA Commissioner Stephen DeBenedittis, and CALEA Executive Director Sylvester Daughtry.

CALEA is Accepting Applications for the CALEA Agency Support Fund (CASF)

CALEA is excited to announce a new partnership with FRC Marketing for the sale of CALEA merchandise at conferences and electronically through the corporate website. FRC Marketing-Where Your Logo Means Business™, was founded in 1995 and specializes in developing high-end, branded merchandising programs for clients nationwide.  The grand opening of the new online store took place on October 17, 2010.  You will certainly appreciate the high quality apparel and accessories to choose from, with many items shipping within 3-5 days. And remember, all proceeds from the CALEA Merchandise Store benefits the CALEA Accreditation Support Fund. Visit the new CALEA Store today at https://www.companypromostore.com/stores/calea/! 

Program Managers' Corner
This is the twentieth in a series of short articles from
your CALEA Program Managers.

Mental Health Training

Periodically questions arise regarding the applicability of standards and issues that should be considered when agencies are maintaining or demonstrating compliance for the purpose of accreditation. The following standard has recently been the focus of follow-up discussions during on-site assessments and therefore it is useful to review the standard's intent.

Standards for Law Enforcement 41.2.7 states - The agency has a written directive regarding the interaction of agency personnel with persons suspected of suffering from mental illness that addresses:

a.    guidelines for the recognition of persons suffering from mental illness;

b.    procedures for accessing available community mental health resources;

c.    specific guidelines for sworn officers to follow in dealing with persons they suspect are mentally ill during contacts on the street, as well as during interviews and interrogations;

d.    documented entry level training of agency personnel; and

e.    documented refresher training at least every three years.

The intent of this mandatory standard is to require agencies to provide guidance to their personnel on how to interact and respond to persons suspected of being mentally ill. Guidance in the commentary addresses what to consider when developing training in this topical area and includes such subjects as access to the court system and applicable case law. Additionally, there is a strong emphasis placed on the use of subject matter experts in the development of staff training.

The question often presented regarding the applicability of the standard focuses on who needs to be trained. Most agencies employ a myriad of staff members that perform very different tasks. They include police officers, records personnel, administrative assistants, detectives, information technologist (IT), and others. Clearly not all of these personnel need training regarding interaction with persons with mental illness. To determine who should participate in this training the key phrase in the commentary section of the standard is "who may come in contact with the public".

For example, usually the IT manager does not work with or receive calls from the public. The responsibilities for that position generally require the individual to interact only with agency personnel, so training would not be necessary. On the other hand, the receptionist in the lobby of headquarters or a telecommunicator would need training because they are likely to come in contact with the public as a part of their work duties and responsibilities.

Additionally, the respective training may vary depending on the employees' position and job descriptions. Training for the receptionist, telecommunicator, and patrol officer could be different because how each position interacts with the public. The agency should determine how training is conducted and the structure of the curriculum based on work expectations and resources available to each type of employee. 

If you have any questions regarding this standard please contact a CALEA Program Manager.

Police Officer    

Baltimore, Maryland

Forensic Laboratory Supervisor  

Henderson, Nevada

Police Officer  

Wilmette, Illinois

Communication Control Officer  

Providence, Rhode Island

Chief of Police/Director of Public Safety  

Wellesley, Massachusetts