This report from the Department of Justice COPS office offers a critique of the St. Louis Country police department. This report was requested as a voluntary review by St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar. Get the Collaborative Reform Initiative, An Assessment of the St. Louis County Police Department here. [1]
From the report: Collaborative Reform Initiative, An Assessment of the St. Louis County Police Department
In August of 2014, Chief John Belmar of the St. Louis County Police Department (SLCPD) requested partici- pation in the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) Collaborative Reform Initiative for Technical Assistance (CRT-TA) process.
CRI-TA is a nonadversarial, voluntary process that can assist law enforcement agencies in strengthening and building mutual trust with the communities they serve. It helps agencies develop long-term strategies for sustainable, positive change through community policing principles. It is a rigorous process that re- quires a comprehensive assessment of key operational areas within a police department to identify issues that affect public trust, agency effectiveness, and officer safety. In collaboration with a designated technical assistance provider, the COPS Office works with agencies to analyze policies, practices, training, and tactics around specific issues.
This report summarizes the findings of the CRI-TA technical assistance team and their recommendations to help improve their department’s policies and procedures in specific areas.