New rules adopted by the Minnesota Board of Police Officer Standards and Training allow for more leeway when it comes to revoking a police officer’s license for bad behavior.
Board Chair and Mendota Heights Police Chief Kelly McCarthy spoke with News Talk 830 WCCO’s Adam Carter and Jordana Green about the new rules.
McCarthy says that thanks to the new rules, they no longer require a criminal conviction to get rid of so-called “bad apples.”
While some union officials say the new system doesn’t allow for due process, McCarthy says this isn’t true and that there are still checks and balances.
“If you understand the process, you realize just how much due process there is,” McCarthy said.
Going further, McCarthy said that rules are not new to the entire state, as other licensing boards and areas of policing already have similar standards in place.
“Again, this is the same process we had for two other areas of conduct, which hadn’t been legally challenged, so we know we can live through it,” she said. “And again, every other licensing board in the state has that ability.”
McCarthy says the change was made following years of hearings, meetings, and concerns from the public.
Now, thanks to the new standards and rules, McCarthy thinks that recruiting police officers will become easier, something that has been a struggle in recent years.
“I think it will be not only easier to get new officers, it will be easier to keep your good ones,” McCarthy said. “Nothing crushes your spirit as a police officer like being judged by the worst in your ranks.”
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