Minnesota Chiefs Of Police Assoc Inc

THE MINNESOTA CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION DESIRES TO CREATE THE MINNESOTA LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCREDITATION PROGRAM (MLEAP). THE GOAL IS TO CREATE AN ACCREDITATION PROGRAM WITH MINNESOTA-BASED STANDARDS THAT HELPS AND GUIDES AGENCIES IN REACHING CURRENT PROFESSIONAL BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE AFFORDABLE AND OBTAINABLE FOR ALL AGENCIES IN THE STATE. THE FY 23-24 COPS OFFICE ADDRESSING GAPS IN STATE ACCREDITATION GRANT PRESENTS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A STATE-OF-THE-ART ACCREDITATION PROGRAM THAT WILL BRING LAW ENFORCEMENT IN MINNESOTA FORWARD, JOINING THE NEARLY 40 OTHER STATES THAT HAVE ACCREDITATION PROGRAMS. CREATING A ROBUST ACCREDITATION PROGRAM WOULD BE TRANSFORMATIVE FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. A PORTION OF GRANT FUNDS WOULD PROVIDE MICRO-GRANTS TO ALLOW SMALLER AGENCIES TO REALIZE THE BENEFITS OF ACCREDITATION. BY LEVERAGING EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH NEARBY STATES THAT CURRENTLY HAVE STATE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION-RUN ACCREDITATION PROGRAMS, WE ANTICIPATE MUCH OF THE FORMATIVE WORK CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED IN 6-9 MONTHS. WE AIM TO BEGIN ACCEPTING AGENCY APPLICATIONS DURING THE FY 23-24 GRANT CYCLE.

THE MINNESOTA CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION WILL USE FY24 CPD ACCREDITATION FUNDING TO EXPAND THEIR CURRENT PART TIME ACCREDITATION SPECIALIST POSITION INTO A FULL TIME POSITION TO SUPPORT THEIR ACCREDITATION EFFORTS, PROVIDE MICROGRANT TO AGENCIES WITHIN THE STATE SEEKING ACCREDITATION AND TO CONTRACT WITH AN ELECTRONIC PUBLIC SAFETY PLATFORM TO HELP FACILITATE A WELL DOCUMENTED PROGRAM AND CREATE EFFICIENCIES FOR AGENCIES ENGAGED IN THE PROGRAM. AS WE EDUCATE OURSELVES ON BUILDING AN ACCREDITATION PROGRAM, IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS TYPE OF ELECTRONIC PLATFORM IS VITAL TO THE SUSTAINABILITY AND SUCCESS OF A PROGRAM.FUNDING WILL ALSO BE USED TO ENHANCE THE ASSESSOR TRAINING PROGRAM THAT WE IDENTIFIED IN OUR INITIALREQUEST,. WE WOULD NOW ANTICIPATE INVITING EXPERIENCED AND ESTABLISHED ASSESSORS FROM OTHER STATES TO COME TO MINNESOTA TO TRAIN AND EDUCATE OUR INITIAL TEAM OF ASSESSORS. IT WOULD BE OUR GOAL TO CREATE THIS TRAINING PROGRAM WITH THE INTENT OF SHARING THE CONTENT WITH ANY OTHER STATE SEEKING TO TRAIN ASSESSORS. THIS FUNDING WILL ALLOW OUR AGENCY TO CONTINUE OUR COMMITMENT TO ESTABLISH A STATE-OF-THE-ART PROGRAM THAT WILL ALLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT IN MINNESOTA THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH PROFESSIONAL BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE AFFORDABLE AND OBTAINABLE FOR ALL AGENCIES IN THE STATE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES.

THE MINNESOTA LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCREDITATION PROGRAM (MNLEAP ) WAS INITIATED IN 2024. MNLEAP WILL ENGAGE ADDITIONAL AGENCIES AND BEGIN AN ORGANIZED RECRUITMENT PHASE OF OUR MINNESOTA TRIBAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS, THERE ARE ANTICIPATED NEEDS FOR THESE AGENCIES TO HAVE POLICY DRAFTING ASSISTANCE. THROUGH THIS PROJECT MNLEAP WILL FUND THE SERVICES OF AN ACCREDITATION POLICY CONSULTANT. THIS MNLEAP TEAM MEMBER WILL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ASSIST AGENCIES IDENTIFY, DRAFT AND FINALIZE GAPS IN THEIR POLICY MANUALS. IF NEEDED, THE CONSULTANT CAN PROPOSE DRAFT LANGUAGE TO FILL THE GAPS AND ASSIST IN THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACHIEVE A LEVEL OF NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES. IF GAPS IN POLICY MANUALS ARE DELAYING THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS FOR SMALLER, RURAL OR UNDERFUNDED AGENCIES THEN IT SEEMS COUNTER INTUITIVE TO THE GOAL OF ACCREDITATION. THE POLICY CONSULTANT WILL HELP PUT SMALLER AGENCIES ON THE SAME STAFFING LEVEL AS OTHER AGENCIES AND KEEP THEM FULLY ENGAGED IN OUR MNLEAP PROGRAM.