Areas of Improvement Outlined for East Haven Police Department
Mayor April Capone held a press conference today to discuss the just-released findings of an operational audit by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) regarding deficiencies in the East Haven Police Department.
Much of the insights and recommendations offered by PERF concerned various policies and procedures related to the Police Department's operations.
PERF Management Services Director Dr. Craig Fraser outlined several of those points during the conference. In all, PERF made 40 recommendations, Fraser said.
"When we first started [working on the report], change was already in progress," Fraser added.
Among the recommendations Fraser mentioned were the need for the department to establish a new mission statement, a need of a strong system of internal communication, a formal performance appraisal system, and a formal policy prohibiting workplace violence, as well as more formalized training.
Fraser said that community input, from business owners and members of the public, was helpful. Recommendations for an increase in community engagement and a new strategy on traffic safety came from that input.
The report also noted that, "the first step in achieving legitimacy for the department is bringing legitimacy to the office of the chief of police. The status of the former chief must be resolved without further delay in order for the public and members of the department to move forward under the guidance of one police chief."