Shelby police earn state recognition
DAVID JACOBS/SDG NEWSPAPERS
SHELBY — Police Chief Lance Combs provided Shelby City Council’s Safety Committee with updates on efforts that highlight the Shelby Police Department’s state certification accomplishments.
“The reason this is really important is because it means we are meeting a standard, a professional standard,” he said. “It means we are keeping up with best practices, and we’re attempting to do a good job in our policing, as well as reduce liability.”
Combs appeared before the committee during its May 5 meeting and shared “a very lengthy report” from the Ohio Collaborative Communitypolice Advisory Board.
Combs said he was notifying the Safety Committee “that we have achieved certification in several areas of policy and procedure.”
They included:
* bias-free policing
* investigation of employee misconduct * community engagement, body worn cameras, telecommunicator training
* use of force and recruitment and hiring
* safe policing for safe communities and vehicular pursuit
“The important part of this and the reason I gave you this packet is to let everybody know that these are standards that were devised by the state of Ohio that are kind of best-practices standards based on this Ohio Collaborative group,” said Combs, who detailed the criteria.
The Ohio Collaborative effort was created by the state to “provide some standard level for very important things in the community such as use of force, vehicular pursuits,” Combs said.
Combs also detailed statistics. “The one thing that I took from this that I found fascinating is that in Richland County, we are 100 percent compliant,” he told the committee. “There are not that many counties that are 100 percent compliant.”
Combs credited Shelby Police Capt. Dave Mack for the efforts with the Ohio Collaborative group.
“Dave Mack spent several hours with the inspector who is a retired police chief from another agency going over the standards, making submissions, showing compliance,” Combs detailed. “He worked on this for two or three weeks in addition to all of the other duties that he has.”
“The person who made this made happen, specifically, is Capt. Mack who has “taken that bull by the horns and did a really good job,” Combs added.
“It’s important to us,” Combs said in concluding remarks on the certification accomplishments. “I think it should be important to the community.”
Chief Combs provided copies of the certificates recognizing the Shelby Police Department’s multiple certifications and letters of recognition noting Shelby achieving “full compliance.”
“Your certificate shall serve as a reminder of your agency’s commitment to law enforcement and the community it serves,” Karhlton F. Moore, executive director of the state Office of Criminal Justice Services, wrote on behalf of the Ohio Collaborative Community-police Advisory Board.