INSIDE
PICKERINGTON
N E W S & I N F OR M AT I O N F R O M T H E C I T Y O F P I C K E R I NGT ON
A Letter from Pickerington’s Police Chief As the question of police tactics and actions is justifiably critiqued in many areas around the country I, too, observed inappropriate techniques and actions by police officers that resulted in death. This criminal behavior by some police officers brings into question police tactics and actions that have brought about conversations of change. As I have watched these deaths occur via the media and social outlets, and myself question the specific departments involved, I quickly refocus on those things which I can control. As the chief of police of the city in which you live, work or frequent, I can assure you that the concerns you may have related to law enforcement agencies weighed on my mind long before these particular incidents happened. Doing everything possible to ensure our officers are properly doing their job and treating people the correct way are at the top of my list every day. I believe our particular agency has been, in many areas, far ahead of other police agencies for many years. One particular area of concern brought about by these conversations is the call for more training of police officers. Here at the Pickerington Police Department, we have always made training a priority for our officers and dispatchers. The mayor, 6
city manager and city council have provided our agency with its own line item training budget for at least the past 30 years. This budget can only be used for advanced training of our officers. Here is just some of the training we have
completed and mandate. Over the past five years, all officers were required to complete the following training: • procedural justice and police legitimacy • officer and community wellness • trauma informed policing • practical application of force • ethical decision making • interacting with a special needs population. In addition, every year our officers are required to participate in defensive tactics training hosted by our own department instructors, included in that is de-escalation, along with at least two
separate advanced firearms trainings that include shoot-or-don’t-shoot scenarios. Numerous officers have also participated in advanced individual specific training classes to include use of force and de-escalation and de-escalating mental health crises. Our agency also has 10 officers trained in crisis intervention team tactics, which is an instructor level certification. All supervisors, upon being promoted, are sent to leadership training at either The Ohio State University Public Safety Leadership Academy or the Northwestern University School of Staff and Command. Both these schools require collegelevel courses that include ethical decision making, constitutional law and criminal procedure, cultural competency, and civil liability and racial profiling. Five of our supervisors have also recently completed a rigorous three-part leadership training through the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association. Operations Commander Greg Annis and I are also graduates of the FBI National Academy, which is recognized as the highest level of law enforcement leadership training in our country. Our agency has had six supervisors graduate from the FBI Academy throughout the years. Because a slot is open for an agency of our size only www.pickeringtonmagazine.com
