Police Training & Policy FAQs

What are the basic training requirements for a Johns Creek Police Officer?

• Basic Mandate:

• All Johns Creek Police Officers are required to complete a 408 hour Basic Law Enforcement Training Course through a Georgia P.O.S.T. (Peace Officer Standards and Training Council) approved academy, in order to become Georgia P.O.S.T. Certified Peace Officers.

• Field Training Program (FTO):

• The Johns Creek Police officers are required to successfully complete a Field Training Program which includes on-the-job training with an assigned, P.O.S.T. Certified Field Training officer, prior to their release to patrol on their own. FTO training includes Daily Observation Reports and rotation between field assignments.
• CALEA standards require a minimum of 160 hours of Field Training for new recruits. Johns Creek Police Department requires the following:
  • 588 hours (or 49 shifts) for new recruits with no prior law enforcement experience 
  • 252 hours (or 21 shifts) for new recruits hired who were previously employed by other law enforcement agencies

What type of training and how many hours are Johns Creek Police officers required to complete each year?

• Georgia P.O.S.T. requires law enforcement officers to complete a minimum of 20 hours of training annually, including:
  • Firearms Qualifications
  • Use of Deadly Force (Constitutional and legal limitations on the use of deadly force; agency’s policies regarding the use of deadly force)
  • De-escalation
  • Community Policing/ Cultural Awareness
• As a CALEA accredited and Georgia State Certified agency, the Johns Creek Police Department conducts training on over 20 topics outside of the Georgia P.O.S.T. required training. Some of these training items include:
  • Ethics
  • Bias Based Profiling
  • Off Duty Conduct ȩ Search and Seizure
  • Handling the Mentally Ill
  • In 2019, Johns Creek Police officers completed a combined total of 6,258 hours of in-service training.

Is there a regular review process for continued employment as a Johns Creek Police Officer? 

• All Johns Creek Police officers are required to meet the annual training requirements set forth by the Georgia P.O.S.T. as well as the Johns Creek Police Department.
• All Johns Creek Police Department personnel receive annual performance evaluations, and newly promoted personnel receive quarterly performance evaluations.

Do officers undergo de-escalation training?

• Yes. All Johns Creek Police Officers complete annual de-escalation training as prescribed by the Georgia P.O.S.T. Council.

What training program(s) does Johns Creek use for cultural awareness and sensitivity?

• The Johns Creek Police Department utilizes Georgia P.O.S.T approved lesson plans provided by the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) for cultural awareness training.

Is there specific training related to appropriate use of force?

• All Johns Creek Police officers receive annual training on Use of Force, including:
  • Constitutional and legal limitations on the use of deadly force
  • Johns Creek Police Department policies regarding use of force and use of deadly force.
    • Excerpt from JCPD Policy 04-16 Use of Force: “The use of force by government officials is controlled by constitutional principles and clarified by case law. An officer’s use of any level of force must be objectively reasonable in light of the circumstances which the officer is facing. Constitutional use of force is guided by Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 (1989).”

Are Johns Creek Police officers allowed to use a carotid choke hold? 

• No. The Johns Creek Police Department policy states: “The agency does not authorize the use of neck restraints or similar weaponless control techniques.”

What types of tests do Johns Creek Police Officers undergo before they are hired? 

• The Johns Creek Police Department selection process for new officers requires the successful completion of the following:
  • Extensive Background Investigation
  • Polygraph Testing ȩ Psychological Evaluation
  • Physical Examination including Drug Screening
  • Physical Agility Testing
  • Oral Board Interview (Selection Board members are trained on personnel matters, including the Equal Opportunity Employment Plan)

Are officers required to wear body cameras?

• Johns Creek Police officers are issued Body Worn Cameras, and are required to activate the BWC during each law enforcement-public encounter related to a call for service, law enforcement action, subject stop, traffic stop, and/ or police service.

How do the demographics of the Police Department represent those of the Johns Creek population?

• The information contained in this table is updated and submitted annually, in accordance with CALEA requirements.

 

Are Johns Creek officers required to file a report if he/she sees one of their colleagues violating the Department’s policies or the law?

• All City of Johns Creek personnel are required to abide by the Code of Ethics for Government Service (O.C.G.A. §45-10-1), which includes a requirement to expose corruption wherever discovered.
• All Johns Creek Police Department personnel are required to abide by the Johns Creek Department Code of Conduct.

Is there a police oversight committee?

• The Johns Creek Police Department does not utilize an external police oversight committee.
• In accordance with CALEA and Georgia State Certification requirements, the Johns Creek Police Department utilizes multi-level administrative review processes for pursuits, use of force, and complaints against the agency or its employees.
• Continuous communication and accountability exists between the Chief of Police and the City Manager/ City Council.

How are Use of Force incidents investigated?

• The Johns Creek Police Department investigates all incidents of Use of Force by officers.
• Reports are required for all Use of Force incidents, and the incident documentation and all video/ audio recordings undergo a multi-level review process by the officer’s chain of command, as well as the Training Unit.
• The review shall determine the following:
  • If the action of the employee(s) was within Department rules, policies and procedures, laws and constitutional requirements.
  • If the relevant policy was understandable and effective to cover the situation; and
  • If the training was adequate; any findings of training inadequacies shall be documented so appropriate action can be taken, if necessary.
• Investigations of incidents involving the Use of Deadly Force include investigation by the Johns Creek Police Department’s Force Investigation Team, investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and notification of the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.

Policing is a stressful career. Officers see a lot of tragedy on a regular basis. What resources are available to police officers to help manage stress, depression or other such issues they may be experiencing?

• Johns Creek Police Department personnel have access to the following resources including, but not limited to:
  • City of Johns Creek Employee Assistance Program
  • Johns Creek Police Department Chaplaincy Program 
  • Counseling services through Summit Counseling Center 
• In accordance with CALEA and Georgia State Certification requirements, the Johns Creek Police Department utilizes a personnel Early Warning System in order to identify agency employees who may require agency intervention efforts.

CALEA Accreditation FAQs

What is CALEA?

• The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of law enforcement’s major executive associations. The CALEA Accreditation program seals are reserved for use by those public safety agencies that have demonstrated compliance with CALEA Standards and have been awarded CALEA Accreditation by the Commission.

How long has the JCPD participated in CALEA?

• Since 2010

Which accreditation programs do we participate in?

• Law Enforcement Accreditation

What is involved in the Law Enforcement Accreditation?

• The Law Enforcement Accreditation process focuses on standards that provide best practices related to life, health, and safety procedures for the agency. These standards are considered foundational for contemporary law enforcement agencies. The program provides the framework for addressing high risk issues within a contemporary environment, and ensures officers are prepared to meet basic community service expectations and prepared to manage critical events.

What standards are you required to meet?

• The Johns Creek Police Department holds Advanced Accreditation with Excellence under the Law Enforcement Standards Manual. There are 459 standards in the CALEA Law Enforcement Standards Manual. These standards are categorized as Mandatory, Other than Mandatory, or Not Applicable by Function.
• Agencies must comply with all Mandatory standards and at least 80% of the Other than Mandatory standards that apply to them. Not Applicable standards are designated based on agency function (example- Campus Police standards chapters do not apply to the JCPD by function of our agency).
• The Johns Creek Police Department has consistently maintained compliance with 100% of applicable Mandatory Standards and above 90% of all Other than Mandatory standards. • Some standard examples are:
  • 1.1.2 Code of Ethics
  • 1.2.4 Search and Seizure
  •  33.4.3 Field Training Program

Is the accreditation required?

• No. The program is voluntary.

What is the cost to participate?

• Cost is based on the size of the department, the number of accreditations, and the payment schedule.

How often is the Police Department reassessed?

• The department is reassessed every year. Every four years the department undergoes a site-based assessment and a full CALEA Commission review.
  • CALEA recently moved into a four year assessment cycle. In the past, agencies provided an annual compliance report to the commission, and an on-site assessment was conducted every three years. Under the new process, on-site assessments occur every four years, and web-based remote assessments are conducted on an annual basis.
  • We are proud to share that all four web-based remote assessments revealed 100% compliance for the 2016-2020 Assessment Cycle. In February 2020, an assessment team visited the Johns Creek Police Department, in order to observe our agency’s compliance through facility inspections and interactions with our personnel and the community.
  • The assessment report has been submitted to the Commission who will hold agency hearings and make a determination regarding reaccreditation.

Are these reviews publicly available?

• CALEA reports are subject for release under the Georgia Open Records Act.

Are there other organizations in Georgia that participate in this program?

• Yes, there are currently 45 agencies CALEA accredited under the Law Enforcement Standards Manual in the State of Georgia.