Police department seeks accreditation, annexation principle approved, and remaining meetings rescheduled
Meeting Highlights
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Police department receives grant to seek state accreditation
During his report, Chief John Donnelly told the board that the police department has been awarded a $38,000 grant to pursue accreditation for the police department. They would be only the second police department in the Upper Peninsula, after Marquette, to achieve accreditation.
According to the Standards Manual from the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, the agency that offers the accreditation in question, achieving it “acknowledges the implementation of written directives, policies and procedures that are conceptually sound and operationally effective.”
Chief Donnelly said it means “your department is doing what your policies say and your policies say what your department is doing.”
Among the things the Standards Manual lays out, the department must develop and swear officers to a code of ethics, have a clear and enforced policy for controlling records in accordance with Michigan statute, adhere to annual in-service retraining procedures, and a lot more. (And I don’t usually use that kind of emphasis.)
Auditors confirm that the policies are in place and being practiced. Chief Donnelly said they have two years to complete the process, and much of the work will be done by Lt. Nick Roberts and Office Manager Polly Salmi, who he also gave much of the credit to for acquiring the grant.
Council gives go-ahead on annexation plan ‘principle’
City councilors gave general support to pursue the annexation plan for the proposed county jail site discussed at Tuesday night’s county commissioners meeting. More detailed agreements will come before the council for final approval.
Because of holidays and the second public engagement night, the council moved the November meeting to Nov. 17, and December’s to Dec. 1 and 15.
Other notes:
The Dee Stadium is open, and public skating times will be re-established soon.
The next public engagement session for the future of the lakeshore parking deck area is being scheduled for Nov. 10.
Road construction on Michigan Tech’s campus should be wrapping up soon, until after graduation.
Councilor Mike Needham plugged the Copper Country Ski Tigers’ Gear Swap coming up this Saturday.