Overland Park now has more access to information about its Police Department than ever, thanks to a library of online transparency-focused resources.
The new Police Transparency page of the City’s website includes summaries of how the Overland Park Police Department approaches a variety of topics, including:
- Anti-biased policing efforts
- De-escalation and response to resistance
- Department budget
- Officer wellness and community mental health services
- Training processes, and more.
The webpage is now available at opkansas.org/PoliceInfo.
“I am pleased to share that this resource is now available to our community and anyone who is interested in learning more about the good work our Police Department does,” said Mayor Curt Skoog. “It is critical for those we serve to have access to the information they need to feel welcome and safe in our community,”
In order for department practices to be as transparent as possible, the webpage also includes links to a library of the department’s publicly-available policies and other resources related to department operations, including the Johnson County Multi-Jurisdictional Officer Involved Shooting Investigation Team manual.
While not a requirement of the accreditation process, the Police Department announced this additional transparency effort just as it received official accreditation for the second time.
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies recognized the Overland Park Police Department with re-accreditation earlier this month.
“CALEA Accreditation is the ultimate signifier for the community that we are setting the best policies for our officers, promoting community trust, and continually reviewing the work we do,” said Chief of Police Frank Donchez. “I’m proud of the work my team puts in every day so CALEA continues to recognize our outstanding service to the community.”
To learn more about the Police Department’s operations and policies, including the CALEA accreditation process, visit opkansas.org/PoliceInfo.