the department , each of the chiefs agreed it did not . In fact , it helps them . Chief Castleberry from Adel said “ No . It only makes it easier . We live and die by policy and procedure .” Similarly , Chief Esco responded , “ No it does not . We have a hiring process we follow . It is good because we go through the requirements of state certification , and it helps to weed out bad people . Chief Ferrone said “ It actually streamlines everything . Everyone knows what they are supposed to do . If they don ’ t know , they have a rock-hard policy to help them .” Chief Finch said “ It guides me when making decisions . I know the standards help me to make good decisions ”. Chief Brinkley probably summed it up best when he said , “ If you are willing to be open , no .” When asked what they would tell fellow police chiefs interested in becoming involved with the certification program , each was very positive . Chief Castleberry responded , “ I strongly encourage every agency to do this . State certification is based on best practices . Why would you not want to do this ? It is another level of protection for the department and its officers . It helps me sleep a little better .”
Chief Esco said , “ It takes time to implement . You have to get the right person as the state certification manager . They have to go to the Georgia Police Accreditation Committee ( GPAC ) meetings .
Once you get going it is not bad , but you have to stay on top of it and not get behind .”
Pine Mountain ’ s Chief Ferrone said , “ I don ’ t see why they would not consider it . We need to put everyone on consistent playing field . The public expects us to act consistently . We have one person who is the certification manager and responsible for ensuring everything is in place . You have to want to do it right , you have to stay on top of it , and you have to have one person assigned to manage it . A lot of the problems that agencies run into will be minimized . Chiefs get complacent and don ’ t want to do the work or don ’ t know how to do it . It is better for us and our community . But it takes a commitment .”
Chief Brinkley warned , “ The environment we are working in will never be the same . Officers are going to be questioned . Agencies need the processes in place to ensure they act appropriately . It is not just the police department that benefit from the program but the city , mayor , and council all benefit ”
Montezuma ’ s Chief , Eric Finch suggested , “ Get Involved . It is very important for a chief to know the rules , especially when dealing with high liability issues .”
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