Writer / Matt Keating
Photography Provided
Sergeant Tim Hendricks with the Professional Standards division of the Noblesville Police Department says his department is doing much to maintain high standards of policies and practices.
“The Professional Standards division of the agency houses the internal affairs division, the public information office, the training division, and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. [CALEA], our national accreditation,” he says. “Recruitment, hiring for the agency and internal promotion processes are also under the Professional Standards umbrella.”
To maintain the highest of standards, the division is tasked with ensuring all department evaluations are complete and all policies are reviewed regularly. Hendricks says they should also be in line with best practices. Audits are completed on various software systems on a daily basis, and on cameras worn by officers in the field.
“All internal department reports, such as use of force, department car accidents, pursuits, and training requests, are reviewed using a multi-tier review process, and are all ultimately reviewed by professional standards to ensure the highest integrity of the agency,” Hendricks says.
The department also handles citizen complaints.
“Per Noblesville Police Department policy, the Noblesville Police Department investigates all complaints against the department or its employees,” Hendricks says. “On occasion, malicious and/or deliberately false accusations are made against the department or its employees. Even these complaints are investigated to protect the integrity of the department and/or the employee, thereby instilling confidence in the department.”
Complaints may be given in person, online, via telephone or in writing.
“Anonymous complaints, or complaints from citizens who expressly request their names to be held in confidence, shall be accepted,” Hendricks says.
Any supervisor employed by the department who is approached for such assistance will accept complaints and take action.
“The supervisor shall document all investigable complaints,” Hendricks says. “The supervisor may attempt to resolve the complaint by explaining departmental policies and procedures where applicable, and the supervisor shall advise the complainant of departmental procedures for the processing and investigation of citizen complaints.”
Once complaints are received, they are entered into the department’s software system and routed directly to the Professional Standards division. If applicable, body camera footage is reviewed, witnesses and officers are spoken with, and a determination is made as to whether any policy violations have occurred. If it is determined that violations have occurred, discipline is handled on a shift level.
Hendricks says the Noblesville Police Department is increasing transparency with the public.
“The Noblesville Police Department consistently meets with the community in various elements such as HOA meetings to ensure transparency,” he says. “The department is held accountable to the Noblesville Police Merit Board for all hiring, promotions and discipline that reaches written reprimand or higher.”
Hendricks adds that the Noblesville Police Department conducts routine audits, and runs reports on all software systems used in the agency to ensure the integrity of all systems.
“All citizen complaints are thoroughly investigated and documented to hold all officers to the highest standards,” he says. “CALEA holds the entire agency accountable to all policies and procedures.”
The Noblesville Police Department has been accredited by CALEA since 2015. They were re-accredited in 2018 and the department is currently undergoing its second re-accreditation, with a hearing before the commission slated for July of 2022.
“The accreditation model is focused on the promulgation of best practices in the form of standards, which are used by participating agencies in the administration of the accreditation program,” Hendricks says. “The standards include employee recruitment and selection, management of internal and criminal investigations, promotion, evidence management, preparation for unusual occurrences, victim and witness support, engagement with at-risk and juvenile populations, contract and administrative management, use of authority and force, and all aspects of operational activities and also supports staff with relevant training like Power bI training UK, equipment, policy and leadership.”
Through accreditation, the department voluntarily demonstrates compliance with more than 150 standards according to Hendricks. Compliance is validated through annual compliance reviews, as well as site-based interviews and observations once every four years.
“Throughout CALEA’s standards, there is a clear commitment to procedural justice, ethical policing, community trust and engagement, transparency in service delivery, appropriate organizational culture, fairness in systems and processes, and consistency in what citizens should expect from their law enforcement agency,” Hendricks says. “The process also includes the receipt of community feedback through public sessions, and culminates with a hearing held by the commission to determine the candidate agency’s status as an accredited public safety entity.”
The Thin Line Spotlight is sponsored by AVC Auto Inc.
