What’s in it for Me?
Recognition Program
The Recognition Program requires extra work on
the part of a Department.
Why do we need to do it???
Two Reasons:
Professional Credibility
Risk and Liability
Reduction
The 1960’s and 70’s
In the 1960’s and 70’s Law Enforcement in the U.S.
was seen as:
Uneducated
Poorly Trained
Unprofessional
Brutal
An Instrument to deny Civil Rights of citizens
The President’s Commission
on Law Enforcement and
Criminal Justice
President Johnson, before leaving office, created
the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement
and the Administration of Justice.
Report issued in 1967 found many failings and made
many recommendations including better training
and higher education for police.
Beginnings of Professionalism
for Police
 The 1980’s began efforts to Professionalize Police
Departments
 Increasing Educational Requirements
 Development of a “Code of Ethics”
 Development of Internal Affairs and Professional
Standards Units
 Development of State POSTs (TCLEOSE)
Best Practices
 During the 1990’s Professional Efforts Continue
 Development of Standards and Best Practices in
other States
 Police Chiefs Associations, non-profits, and even
other State Governments create State Accreditation
Programs for Police Departments.
Texas Police Chiefs
Association
TPCA Membership wanted a method to improve law
enforcement operations in Texas.
The Texas Law Enforcement Best Practices
Recognition Program was the result.
Texas Recognition
Program
 Voluntary process where law enforcement
agencies can prove their compliance with 164 Best
Practices for Texas Law Enforcement.
 Easy to administer
 Tailored to what Texas agencies need
Texas Recognition
Program
 Once Recognized, an Agency maintains
Recognized status for 4 years by submitting
annual reports and proving they continue to meet
the standards.
Texas Recognition
Program
 But what does all that mean to the average street
officer???
 It means it will make your agency Better!!!
Texas Recognition
Program
 The Recognition Program requires agencies to
provide:
 Clear and consistent policies
 Training in all critical areas
 Feedback on employee performance
 Proper and necessary equipment
Texas Recognition
Program
 Clear and consistent policies help to keep you and
your department out of trouble!
 Policies should provide clear direction on how the
department wants things done. Does not leave it
up to arbitrary or flip/flop decisions based on
who is involved or who is making the decision.
Texas Recognition
Program
 Clear policies on employee selection, training,
investigation of complaints, and promotions let
officers know the rules up front and helps you
plan and control your career.
Texas Recognition
Program
 Ensuring proper training provides you with the
safest and most acceptable method completing a
task in addition to professional development.
 Training provides the most appropriate method
of accomplishing a task without ending up as a
defendant in civil court.
Texas Recognition
Program
 Program requires clearly established rules of
behavior and ethics so that everyone is held to the
same standard.
 The Program requires regular feedback on your
performance. This allows you to continue to
improve in your abilities as well as documenting
performance for future opportunities.
Texas Recognition
Program
 The Program also requires adherence to all state
regulations and Law Enforcement Best Practices
including:
 Officer Selection and Training
 Records Management
 Property and Evidence Management
Texas Recognition
Program
 Development of appropriate policies on how
things should be done reduces the risk of legal
liability and enhances an agencies ability to
defend against lawsuits.
 Officers following well developed policies reduce
the risk of both physical injury and are less likely
of being held personally liable in civil court for
their actions.
Texas Recognition
Program
 Failure to follow established procedures,
 Failure to do what a reasonable officer would do,
 Can leave an officer personally liable for their
actions.
Texas Recognition
Program
 Developing well thought out Policies and
Procedures and …
 Following those procedures…
 Protects you, your job security, your family’s
security and increases the probability you will go
home safely after each shift.
Texas Recognition
Program
 Compliance with the Best Practices builds
community confidence the agency.
 Clearly, City Councils are reluctant to increase
compensation for departments that are not seen
as professional or competent.
 While it may not lead directly to an increase in
salary, it can assist in providing the tools needed
for you to do your job properly.
Texas Recognition
Program
 Agencies who fail to follow Texas Law
Enforcement Best Practices often find themselves
being criticized on the front page of the local
newspaper and on your favorite TV station.
 Being part of an organization like that can be
embarrassing to professional police officers who
take pride in their career.
Texas Recognition
Program
 Compliance with the Best Practices will help keep
your agency from being labeled the “Keystone
Kops.”
Texas Recognition
Program
 If you like your job and like catching bad guys,
you need to understand that police catch bad guys
in only three ways.
1. On-View. You drive up on a crime in progress.
Problem there is it doesn’t happen very often.
Texas Recognition
Program
2. By the investigation of Physical Evidence.
This method increased significantly with the
advent of AFIS and DNA.
But now, the number of case solved through
forensics is decreasing because of TV programs
like CSI.
In prison, CSI is video training for crooks!
Texas Recognition
Program
And lastly, by information provided by citizens,
witnesses, and victims…
Information from people who know or saw
something.
But if they don’t trust you, if they don’t have
confidence in your ability, if they think you are
the Keystone Kops, they will not volunteer
information to you!
Texas Recognition
Program
 Think about it. Every time a person gives
information to the police, they run a risk of
retaliation by someone. They will evaluate
whether the act of telling you is to their advantage
or not.
 If they don’t trust you, if they don’t think you
know what you are doing, do you think they will
take the risk?
Texas Recognition
Program
 The Recognition Process requires a review of your
agency by Trained Outside Assessors who review
your policies and procedures, your operations,
and your facilities and equipment.
 You don’t have to have the best of everything – but
the Best Practices ensures you are doing things
the right way!
Texas Recognition
Program
 Professionals in all fields recognize the value of
meeting established standards, of being assessed
by independent assessors, and ascribing to a code
of ethics.
 Doctors, lawyers, and nurses become “Board
Certified.”
 Hospitals, universities, and industries become
“Accredited’ or “ISO Certified.”
Texas Recognition
Program
 The Recognition Program provides that
credibility for Texas Law Enforcement!
 It provides you with a badge of professional
credibility
 for your community,
 for you local criminal justice community,
 and provides professional recognition from your
peers.
Texas Recognition
Program
Risk and Liability Reduction
And
Professional Credibility
Two Really Good Reasons!
Texas Recognition
Program
 Professionals recognize the value of Continuous
Improvement.
 Welcome to the Community of Recognized
Agencies!
Texas Recognition
Program
Improving
Law Enforcement Services
in
Texas