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Case #5 (Issue #64: May 1997)Submitted by Director Terrance W. Gainer, Illinois State Police
Director Terrance W. Gainer of the Illinois State Police (ISP) is a 20-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, where he spent his last four years as the State's Deputy Inspector General. He was appointed Deputy Director of the ISP in 1987. In 1989, Mr. Gainer was in charge of drug policy for the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. He returned to the ISP as Director in 1991. Gainer holds a master's degree in management and public service and juris doctor from De Paul University.
The Unwritten Standard: Peace of Mind STANDARD: Agency directives and procedures ensure officers that their safety is being addressed and ensure command that it is taking the necessary steps to guarantee officer safety, while maximizing the attainment of agency goals. COMMENTARY: Officers and command should have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that everything is being done to ensure officer safety while attaining performance objectives. MMMM How do you measure the benefit of accreditation? How do you judge the benefit of compliance with even one standard? Does an officer, safety-related standard really have an impact in an officer's life and safety? Do criminal investigation standards really help convict criminals? It is very difficult to objectively measure the effect actions, which are implemented to meet standards, have on an agency's operations and personnel. We do not know if providing reflective vests to officers and requiring them to be worn on traffic details, really prevent officer injury. Do directives and procedures for handling informants lead to criminal convictions? The Illinois State Police provides reflective vests to all officers and requires them to be worn on traffic details. The officers feel safer. The command feels more comfortable knowing just one more step has been taken for officer safety. PEACE OF MIND. Will analysis (required by standard) of use-of-force incidents result in improved officer survival? An officer will know that he is trained in effective techniques. The command will know that incidents are reviewed to improve future training. PEACE OF MIND. In most instances, neither the officer nor the command will know if a standard-related action, such as immediate playback of emergency radio traffic, will result in a measurable benefit. It becomes impossible to know how many injurious incidents may have occurred without standard-related policies and procedures in place. We do know that officers are on traffic details without being injured. We do know that standards are provided to prosecutors and convictions are obtained. We do know that use-of-force incidents are analyzed by training experts. We do know that immediate playback is used. Both officers and command have the comfort that comes from knowing that training and practices reflect professional standards. PEACE OF MIND. The heightened level of confidence that accreditation as a whole brings to officers and command alike truly reflects the "PEACE OF MIND" standard.
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