Report Finding #52
The Department website has “Compliments and Complaints” information on the same landing page, and it is very easy to not see the difference between the two.
Recommendation #63:
Establish easy-to-find email addresses to contact the Department about compliments or complaints.
Recommendation #65:
Establish a method for completing an e-signature on the online Office of Professional Accountability complaint form to increase accessibility by making a valid “online only” process for filing a formal complaint.
Action: Recommendation #63
The suggested email address (opa@lkpd.org) has been added and the suggested material has been retained.
Action: Recommendation #65
Establish a method for completing an e-signature on the online Office of Professional Accountability complaint form to increase accessibility by making a valid “online only” process for filing a formal complaint.
Progress: Recommendation #63 - Completed
The recommended email address has been added to the public facing website. This has also been communicated at the Civilian Police Review Board meeting on several occasions.
Progress: Recommendation #65 - Completed
A process for “E-Signature” does not appear to be necessary since the department will accept anonymous complaints.
Report Finding #53
There is no email address on the website for contacting the Department regarding compliments or complaints.
Recommendation #63:
Establish easy-to-find email addresses to contact the Department about compliments or complaints.
Recommendation #65:
Establish a method for completing an e-signature on the online Office of Professional Accountability complaint form to increase accessibility by making a valid “online only” process for filing a formal complaint.
Action: Recommendation #63
The suggested email address (opa@lkpd.org) has been added and the suggested material has been retained.
Action: Recommendation #65
A process for “E-Signature” is not necessary since the department will accept anonymous complaints.
Progress: Recommendation #63 - In Progress
The recommended email address has been added to the public facing website. This has also been communicated at the Civilian Police Review Board meeting on several occasions.
Progress: Recommendation #65 - Under Review
A process for “E-Signature” is not necessary since the department will accept anonymous complaints.
Report Finding #54
A significant section of the “Compliment and Complaints” website landing page is dedicated to explaining the process of filing racial or other bias-based policing complaints. This section includes a hyperlink to the Community Police Review Board website and the state Attorney General’s website.
Recommendation #64:
Retain the detailed explanation of filing bias-based policing complaints as well as the links to the Community Police Review Board and Attorney General websites.
Action: Recommendation #64
The information and links are being retained as suggested.
Progress: Recommendation #64 - Completed
This material has been retained on the website.
Report Finding #55
The Department is correcting long-term budget analysis passivity by engaging in active budget planning around strategic goals and more frequent reporting.
Recommendation #69:
Support the innovations in budget analysis and planning and continue to encourage connectivity to the updating of systems and expertise offered by the City of Lawrence Finance Department.
Recommendation #57:
Assess the need for a Business/Data Analyst to relieve invoicing and contract management from Information Technology and determine if the position can be combined with other needs like accreditation or budget analysis.
Action: Recommendation #69
The City has implemented a Police Department Finance employee who works closely with both groups to create more efficient and effective processes in the department’s finance program.
Action: Recommendation #57
Additional communication between IT and the Finance Department has alleviated the need to change this system.
Progress: Recommendation #69 - Completed
The City has implemented a Police Department Finance employee who works closely with both groups to create more efficient and effective processes in the department’s finance program.
Progress: Recommendation #57 - Completed
Additional communication between IT and the Finance Department has alleviated the need to change this system.
Report Finding #56
The Department has as a low number of investigated internal affairs complaints for a department of its size.
Recommendation #66:
Support the implementation of IA PRO/BlueTeam.
Action: Recommendation #66
This support will be ongoing. Training on Blue Team implementation was completed in late 2021.
Progress: Recommendation #66 - In Progress
This support will be ongoing. Training on Blue Team implementation was completed in late 2021.
Report Finding #58
There is a current lack of informal systems for data capture of complaints against officers.
Recommendation #66:
Support the implementation of IA PRO/BlueTeam.
Action: Recommendation #66
Training on Blue Team implementation for supervisory staff was completed in late 2021.
Progress: Recommendation #66 - Completed
This support will be ongoing. Training on Blue Team implementation was completed in late 2021.
Report Finding #57
There is evidence of self-policing by the Department due to internal complaints being initiated about Department employees.
Recommendation #0:
The Citygate report did not provide any recommendations on the basis of this finding.
If the department takes any action related to this finding, it will be recorded here. Any action taken will be in keeping with best practices, policy, and community values.
Report Finding #59
There is a lack of connection to and trust between the Department and the Community Police Review Board.
Recommendation #70:
The Administrative Team of the Department needs to work with the Community Police Review Board to bridge the current trust gap and lack of relationship.
Action: Recommendation #70
During the past year, the Chief of Police has met with members of the CPRB to discuss processes, trainings, programs, and opportunities. Members of the CPRB were invited to attend a training hosted at the department.
General Recommendations
Recommendation #68
Evaluate and contextualize the totality of future internal affairs data sets that may indicate increases in misconduct when evaluated as isolated variables.
Lawrence Strategic Plan Progress Indicators
- 1.SaS-6: Variance of satisfaction with perceptions of safety by race, gender, education and income
- 2.SaS-8: Percent of residents rating trust in emergency services departments as satisfied or very satisfied