Message Posted June 9, 2020

I am completely disheartened by what transpired in those 8 minutes and 46 seconds while George Floyd was in the custody of Minneapolis police officers. I am also dismayed by the events that led up to that fateful incident – which could have and should have been prevented altogether. What we witnessed was abhorrent and inhumane. The actions of the officers were not consistent with acceptable and prudent law enforcement practices.

Since the death of Mr. Floyd, I have heard from a variety of residents with valid questions and concerns – and I share them. The emails and phone conversations have provided valuable opportunities to create open dialogue and learn more about community concerns.

In Plymouth, our mission is to serve all community members with integrity, accountability, professionalism, respect and excellence. The Plymouth Police Department is a professional, progressive and proactive department – and we have worked diligently to foster community trust and transparency.

I would like to illustrate our commitment to continually improving policing in our community by outlining some of the department’s policies, training standards and values. The information below is not exhaustive, and it does not mean that there is not more work to be done.

Careful Officer Selection
Hiring the right people is essential to earning and maintaining public trust. Plymouth’s officer selection process is unique and we have earned statewide recognition for it. It has yielded high quality candidates who believe in our mission. While we are not perfect, we strive for excellence and employ multiple practices to help us provide exceptional service.

As required in Minnesota, all of our police officers have earned a college degree and have completed the requisite training from a POST Board approved institution. The Minnesota Legislature created the POST Board in 1979 to license police officers, regulate training and provide oversight in certain areas.  

Our candidate screening process is exhaustive and exacting. Once hired, Plymouth officers go through our own in-house academy. Next, they spend 16 weeks in field training with experienced officers. Throughout this process, we evaluate new hires and do not hesitate to terminate employment if they do not meet our standards. 

Following field training, new officers are on probation for one year. Additionally, throughout their careers, we hold officers accountable and require they adhere to our stringent rules and regulations. 

Officer Training
Plymouth police far exceed state requirements for training. While Minnesota requires 40 hours of continuing education every three years, all Plymouth officers participate in an average of 130 hours of training annually – that is nearly 10 times the state requirement.

All Plymouth police officers are required to complete a litany of mandatory training courses taught by highly qualified instructors, including:

• De-escalation strategies
• Cultural competency
• Implicit bias
• Mental health crisis interaction techniques
• Emergency driving
• First aid
• Firearms qualifications
• Defensive tactics
• Leadership development
• Community engagement (community policing)
• More 

While everyone in the department has undergone extensive training in interacting with those in a mental health crisis, we continue to train officers for the department’s Crisis Intervention and Mental Health Evaluation teams.

In addition, we have embraced the 21st Century Policing model, which includes robust programming to help ensure that our officers are physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually fit. The model was developed in 2014 by a presidential task force that brought together law enforcement, community leaders, academics and others to examine how to build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. 

Officer Wellness
Officer mental health and wellness is vital to maintaining excellent service. Officers must have necessary resources to deal with stressors, challenges and on-the-job trauma in order to professionally and effectively serve the public. In a unique department mandate, all Plymouth officers are required to meet with a behavioral health counselor at least once a year as part of the “Check Up from the Neck Up” program. The department also offers a robust wellness program, which includes trained wellness officers and access to chaplains and a part-time officer-physician.

Community Mental Health Resources
Beyond training, we have continued our focus on community mental health resources. Plymouth officers use Vitals Aware Services – a technology that helps improve interactions between law enforcement and those living with mental health issues in our community. Plymouth also partners with community nonprofit organizations to provide access to resources for residents in crisis.

Last year, we partnered with Minnetonka police and Hennepin County to pilot the Case Assessment Management Program. The program features a shared in-house social worker, which has improved community access to mental health services.

Plymouth Non-Discrimination Policies
Impartial policing is essential to a healthy community. The Plymouth Police Department has adopted multiple policies that comply with federal and state laws that expressly prohibit any race-, ethnic-, religious-, creed-, or sexual orientation-based policing practices.

We are committed to protecting life and safety and upholding constitutional and civil rights for everyone.

Transparency
The Plymouth Police Department promotes transparency. We have used in-car cameras since 2003 and all officers wear body cameras. We also publicly chart our progress in achieving action items identified in the 21st Century Policing model – Plymouth is one of only a handful of Minnesota departments to do so (plymouthmn.gov/21stCenturyPolicing).

While this is just a glimpse of who we are as an organization, I can also tell you that, as police chief, I strive to be at the forefront of addressing policing concerns and engaging in these conversations locally, regionally, statewide and nationally. I recognize much work remains, but I am confident that through constructive dialogue, we will make progress. 

Our Police Department meets with community groups regularly to hold conversations focused on improving police and community interactions. If you would like to be connected to one of these groups, please reach out to us. 

I am proud of what we have established here in Plymouth and believe that our personnel are some of the finest within the law enforcement vocation. We are continually seeking to improve, engage and strengthen public trust. 

Thank you to all who have contacted me with questions and concerns – they are legitimate and I share them.

Mike Goldstein
Plymouth Public Safety Director / Police Chief