An open letter from Chief of Police Battiste regarding GCPD Policy and Procedure Manual as well as Policy Review Processes, February 11, 2022

To all citizens of Glynn County and Glynn County Board of Commissioners,  

 As Chief of Police, it is my duty and responsibility to ensure the efficient and professional operation of the Glynn County Police Department (GCPD). A large part of our operation is based in our Policy and Procedure Manual.  The primary purpose of the police department Policy and Procedure Manual is to establish uniform and consistent operating procedures that provide officers and staff with guidance in carrying out their daily tasks.  It is intended to incorporate the interests of the community, the Glynn County Police Department, the individual employee, and law enforcement best practices.  The rules and guidelines set forth in this manual will ensure that services are delivered in a consistent and lawful manner. 

 After a careful review of our current policy and consultation with numerous stakeholders, I made several decisions regarding the Glynn County Police Policy and Procedure Manual.  First, effective January 21, 2022, I decided that it was in our best interest to adopt and publish our current policy and procedure manual.  This policy was developed and published in cooperation with a contracted vendor.  However, I have established a Policy Review Committee to ensure that the necessary policy revisions are made in a timely manner.  

 One of the recommendations of The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) study of September 2018 was to establish a new policy manual.  Having a completed policy manual increases community advocacy, provides support from government officials, stronger defense against civil lawsuits, reduces risk and liability and promotes greater accountability within the agency.  A complete policy sets the course for success and provides a tool for review and ongoing measurement against stated objectives.  

 A complete policy manual will expedite our process of seeking state certification and international accreditation.  In our path towards certification by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (GACP) and accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), the policy manual is the cornerstone of both assessments. 

 The 8-step process from GACP represents a significant professional achievement for a law enforcement agency.  Certification acknowledges the implementation of policies and procedures conceptually sound and operationally effective. The Certification Program provides a comprehensive blueprint for effective, professional law enforcement.  It is the role of the Georgia Law Enforcement Certification Program to establish standards promoting professionalism in law enforcement, oversee the State Certification process, and award certification status to Georgia Law Enforcement agencies that meet the established standards.  

The 5-step process for accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) are based in a policy review.  The Law Enforcement Accreditation process focuses on standards that provide best practices related to life, health, and safety procedures for the agency.  These standards are considered foundational for contemporary law enforcement agencies.  The program provides the framework for addressing high risk issues within a contemporary environment, and ensures officers are prepared to meet basic community service expectations and prepared to manage critical events.

As Chief, I am committed to working with the entire department on the continuous efforts needed to ensure that our polices remain current.  Moreover, we will work to ensure that we have policies in place that fit the needs of all our officers and staff, as best we can, and have policies that will help us to serve the needs of the community to the best of our abilities.  Furthermore, I am also committed to having policies and procedures in place that can withstand internal and external scrutiny, that are legally compliant, promote organizational discipline and are ethically centered, to say the least.  

As mentioned earlier, alongside the publishing of this policy I have chosen to establish a policy review committee.  Although our policies are published, like all police departments, we recognize that law enforcement is an ever-changing profession.  For instance, laws, significant incidents, industry standards and training, as well as community and societal needs can all influence our policies and practices. 

Our ongoing efforts will include a continuous review of our policies and revisions that will be published for the public to see.  This will be done through careful thought and counsel to ensure that our practices exhibit the level of service our community deserves. 

Thank you for the opportunity to serve. 

 Jacques S. Battiste

Chief of Police