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Independent Board finds some MPD Policies and Procedures Outdated

Friday, November 18, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC – The District of Columbia’s Police Complaints Board (PCB), the governing body of the Office of Police Complaints (OPC), today issued a report recommending the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) standardize the review of their policies and procedures.

Over the last year, the PCB has reviewed the 219 general orders, (MPD’s policies and procedures) posted on the Department’s website.  Out of the 219 posted, 118 of the general orders are more than 10 years old, with 34 of those being more than 30 years old.  PCB also found additional listed MPD policies and procedures to be outdated.

To ensure MPD policies and procedures are current and improve law enforcement-community relations, PCB recommends the police department:

  • Develop a plan to organize and review written directives on a periodic and scheduled basis;
  • Clarify and consolidate the system for policies and procedures, so the public can easily understand the system and locate the information; and
  • Ensure comprehensive policies and procedures and timely review of them through an accreditation process such as The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.

“Ensuring policies and procedures are updated and reviewed for accuracy on regular basis is essential to improving community trust in the police department,” said Michael G. Tobin, OPC’s executive director.  “This should be considered a priority by MPD to get ahead of any potential problems that can arise.” 

To view a copy of the PCB report, visit www.policecomplaints.dc.gov