The Detroit Police Department’s internal policy manual is undergoing a comprehensive review and overhaul as it seeks accreditation from a statewide law enforcement body.
The process ensures the department complies with the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission’s standards. Additionally, the department said some policies are outdated and don’t reflect current operations and therefore, need to be updated.
DPD is one of the approximately 30 law enforcement agencies in the state that are currently in the voluntary two-year accreditation program through the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police.
“One of the steps to becoming a world-class policing organization is through accreditation. This allows for thorough and complete policies and procedures that focus on best practices,” a DPD spokesperson told BridgeDetroit.
“This process will make us a better organization for our members and the community and community we service. Accreditation is a long and tedious process, but the reward is worth the time and the benefits it will provide our community.”
This is the first comprehensive review of DPD policies since the department was under a consent decree – which began in 2003 and ended in 2014 – and procedurally, many of them are outdated and no longer align with current operations, according to Police Chief Todd Bettison.
In order to achieve accreditation, law enforcement agencies conduct a self-analysis of existing policies and procedures to determine what revisions need to be made to align with the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission’s standards. Proposed changes are then submitted to the Board of Police Commissioners for review and approval before they’re formally adopted by the department.
“After you’re accreditated, it gives the community the confidence,” Bettison told BridgeDetroit, “to know that you went through a stringent process and that the Detroit Police Department is using the best practices, policies, and procedures around.”
The standards that DPD will have to comply with are outlined in the MLEAC Standards Manual,, which lays out the blueprint for six general functions of law enforcement agencies:
- Administrative
- Personnel
- Operations
- Investigative
- Arrestee, detainee, prisoner handling
- Campus security and policing
The department’s search warrants and First Amendment activities policies are just two of the policies that have been revised and submitted to the Board of Police Commissioners.
Updating policies is the easy part, Commander Michael Parrish told the BOPC Policy Committee during a presentation on March 4; the hard part is ensuring policies align with the department’s internal processes and that the department complies with its own policies.
“If it says you should do this and call this number, that there’s somebody to actually pick up the phone because when policies are outdated and as you do reorgs, the manual may be behind,” Chief Bettison said.
After policies are reviewed and updated, assessors conduct an on-site assessment and verify the agency’s policies and procedures have been revised, implemented, and are being followed.
“Policy is important and being accredited is important because you have third-party validation where the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, their best practices from around the country, they’ll come in and look.” Bettison said, “It’s not me evaluating me, it’s others.”
Detroit Police submitted the application in early 2024, the department spokesperson said, kicking off the two-year accreditation period.
The public will have an opportunity to weigh in at the Board of Police Commissioners’ Policy Committee meetings; The committee is scheduled to meet again on April 1.
BOPC Chairman Darryl Woods told BridgeDetroit that the board welcomes the community – both residents and organizations – to participate in the “robust” process.
“They are more than welcome to come and add their insight, expertise, thoughts, opinions and even opposition,” Woods said.
“I don’t know if this has ever been done where we have had the opportunity to look at every policy in the Detroit Police Department and see what we can do to make them better, or if we need to make them better,” Woods said.
Upon completion, a final report will be published on MLEAC’s website that outlines relevant information, including key observations and input received.
Those who complete the process will maintain accreditation status for three years, at which time agencies will undergo a re-accreditation assessment.