In This Issue

> Critical Thinking Skills

> 6th Amendment Problems and        body-cams

>White House police data initiative

> Is UCR on the way out?
Social Media/Body-cam Survey Data
Please take a minute to submit information regarding how long your agency keeps these important records.  We'll go over the results with our seminar attendees as part of our new Managing Social Media & Body-Cam Records Seminar.
Budgeting? Submit your wish list with our training price list
In The News

 

Results of IACP survey: LE Use of Social Media  

 

Body-Camera Evidence In Fatal San Jose Police Shooting Demonstrates What People See Can Still Be Divisive 

 

Alabama State Police Issue Body-worn Cameras

 

Tennessee Supreme Court hearing case on police public records law vs. crime victim privacy

 

MA police charge really high fee for public records request

 

New TX open records law: applies to private university police 

 

 

Social Media Posts Require Archiving

 

 

What will you do when your agency receives a request for all social media posts for the last year? Policy should include requirements for:
  • Keeping track of who has access to records and who manages social media accounts.
  • If someone posts a comment to your social media account, the thread has to be maintained.
  • Retention periods
  • Allowable content
  • Collaboration with Investigators
  • Training courses
The Best Training Seminars Around
Seminar
Over 1500 professionals trained.  Our courses consistently receive excellent feedback.  We keep it interesting and relative; information provided by people who have worked on the job and know what they're talking about.
 
Building a Model Police Records Unit Seminar

Crime Stats & UCR for the Police Executive Seminar

Managing Social Media & Body-cam Records Seminar
 
 
Announcement List!
See archived editions of The Records Room
Connect With Us
Florida Agencies: public records workshop August 12
 
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS ARE A MUST
 Lt. Ed Claughton (ret.), President, PRI Management Group
Critical thinking skills are perhaps one of the most important to have. Not having or not utilizing them means to accept everything at face value; to not question the motives, reasons, logic, causes or accuracy of something presented to you.

 

Critical thinkers are keenly aware of the inherently flawed nature of human thinking when left unchecked.  They analyze, assess and work to improve the thinking of those around them and that of their own, and thus are very good at improving conditions and circumstances.

 

"Critical thinking is that mode of thinking - about any subject, content, or problem - in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them."  (from The Critical Thinking Community)

 

All too often in law enforcement, this skill set is lacking, as evidenced by the policing culture which unquestionably embraces the thin blue line brotherhood- a good thing for camaraderie- a bad thing when it comes to improving organizational culture and developing accountability. "If my brother says it's good, it must be."  "Well he's one of us so it must be right". 

 

It is also often missing in the field of records management.  Why?  Think about those who are drawn to the profession.  Records managers tend to be detail oriented; a good thing for people who organize and manage critical information.  On the other hand, think about what get's lost- big picture thinking.

 

Attention to detail is a good thing, but not at the sacrifice of being able to see beyond the details or, at the sacrifice of critical thinking!  Consider the following common questions:

  • Why are we printing out and filing every report when we have this records management system? (and wasting time, energy and money in the process)
  • Does it make sense that we require 4 levels of approval for this form?
  • Why is our average report turnaround time 5-7 days?
  • Why do we have such a high report error rate?
  • Why don't the sergeants check reports more thoroughly?
  • What can we do to change the culture not just in Records, but in the agency overall when it comes to records management?

Look at the underlying reasons that lead to these questions having to be asked in the first place.  What is causing these issues. 

 

This is critical thinking at its best.  And it's what PRI specializes in.  Identifying the problem, developing the solution, and preventing it from happening again.

 

Here are some highly suggested resources for developing your leadership and critical thinking abilities. 

 

Cheers!

 

Ed Claughton, President

PRI Management Group

NEW SIXTH AMENDMENT CONCERNS EMERGE FROM BODY-CAM CASES
If your agency utilizes body-cams, this case is a must read.
 

The 6th Amendment, fundamental to all criminal court cases, gives defendants the right to confront their accusers (and witnesses).  What happens when a police body-cam captures a chaotic scene with various unknown witnesses describing what they allege happened?  6th amendment problems.

 

In the Alabama case of Justin Lott, chaos erupted the moments after the first police officer arrived to the site where he struck 19-year-old Kasey Waychoff with his car.

 

College-age students approached the police officer to talk about what they saw and where they saw it.

The entire video, captured on a body camera imbedded into a Gulf Shores police officer's uniform, was replayed to a 12-person jury that convicted Lott Tuesday on charges of manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident causing injury or death and assault.

 

The footage, according to Lott's attorney, is a cause of concern and could be the subject of an appeal largely because some of the speakers are unidentified. As such, Montgomery attorney Susan James could not call them into the Baldwin County Courthouse during the trial for cross-examination setting off a possible constitutional quandary.

 

What's the lesson: be sure to get everyone's information at the scene. When chaos strikes and witnesses are throwing statements at you, stop them in their tracks, separate them and gather one-by-one.


WHITE HOUSE POLICE DATA INITIATIVE
PRI Management Group Position Statement
PRI Management Group Position Statement
21 Agencies selected as part of federal police data
initiative

This week the White House announced a federal "police data initiative" as part of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Central to this initiative is enabling transparency and accountability in crime and operational data and thus, enhancing community trust. This initiative drives at the core importance of quality control in police reporting procedure and speaks directly to our 3 pronged approach to ensuring accurate, error-free and well written documentation, without which data is meaningless.  Read more details here.
IS UCR ON THE WAY OUT?
PRI has been invited to participate in national crime statistics modernization panel.

UCR is in fact under review and this panel is assessing plans for a new system. Details here.
CONSIDERING A NEW CAD/RMS?
Ensure the success of your project with our consulting services.  
PRI Management Group specializes in assisting law enforcement with the proper management and fiscal control of these time consuming projects.  We have worked with most of the systems on the market and have managed police records units, IT units and tech projects in our former policing and technology careers.  

Since 2008, we have done business with over 1000 agencies and have brought success to our clients with integrity and professionalism.  

VENDOR COMMUNITY: PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

Over the coming months PRI Management Group will be selecting one company from the following verticals to partner with as our recommended solution.  Each of our clients and training attendees has a pain point.  Our process recommendations, records management programs and compliance solutions will be coupled with an industry leader that we have vetted on their behalf.

  • Document Management
  • Social media archiving
  • CJIS compliant data storage
  • Body-cameras

Details Here

UPCOMING POLICE RECORDS AND UCR TRAINING

Building a Model Police Records Unit: DeFuniak Springs, FL June 3-4, 2015

Wednesday June 3, 2015 at 8:00 AM CDT -to- Thursday June 4, 2015 at 4:00 PM CDT

Building a Model Police Records Section: DeFuniak Springs, FL June 3-4, 2015. Law enforcement's premier records management seminar.

Chautauqua Building

 

Thursday June 11, 2015 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM MDT

The latest public records law and retention schedules for public safety agencies in Colorado.

The Montrose Pavilion

 

Managing Social Media & Body-cam Records El Cajon, CA August 5, 2015

Wednesday August 5, 2015 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM PDT

All of the information you need regarding the current legal requirements and pending legal changes in your state for the proper management of social media and body-cam records.

El Cajon Police Department

 

Managing Social Media & Body-cam Records

Tuesday August 11, 2015 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM EDT

All of the information you need regarding the current legal requirements and pending legal changes in your state for the proper management of social media and body-cam records.

University of Central Florida Police Department

 

Florida Public Records Workshop 

Wednesday August 12, 2015 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM EDT

This hands-on workshop includes a review of current and pending public records law in Florida relative to law enforcement records as well as group exercises with actual reports. This will be an engaging interactive event for all Florida public safety agencies.

University of Central Florida

 

Have a great day!
 
PRI Logo
Sincerely, 

Ed Claughton, President
PRI Management Group
ed@policerecordsmanagement.com