Transparency Hub

The Shrewsbury Police Department has been utilizing License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology since May of 2023.  The technology captures license plates and vehicle images that assist in criminal investigations, recovery of stolen vehicles/license plates, and arrests of wanted individuals.  The LPRs throughout Shrewsbury help your Officers know when criminals are coming into the area and give them a head start to stop crimes before they occur. 

LPR services within Shrewsbury are contracted with Flock Safety.  Shrewsbury PD has worked with Flock Safety to develop a Transparency Portal that shows how the system works and what information is collected.

Shrewsbury General Order 2023.01 dictates how Officers use the system. 

The Shrewsbury Police Department is internationally accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). This accreditation is one of the highest honors a police agency can achieve.  Our accreditation indicates that the Shrewsbury Police Department meets and adheres to a multitude of standards and best practices, as identified by major executive law enforcement organizations including the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), National Sheriff’s Association (NSA), and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). CALEA is the Gold Standard for all police agencies.

The Shrewsbury Police Department first received CALEA “Recognition “ status in 2006 and earned “Full Accreditation” status in 2009.  We have since earned re-accreditation awards in 2012, 2015 and 2018.  On April 2, 2022, the Shrewsbury Police Department was once again awarded Law Enforcement Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) at a conference in Orlando, Florida. To maintain CALEA accreditation, the Police Department must satisfactorily participate in a continuous process of thorough agency-wide self-evaluations; provide proofs of compliance with a variety of standards and procedures; participate in annual CSM reviews of policies, procedures and proofs; and submit to an extensive on-site assessment by an independent team of certified assessors every four years, as well as a final review by the CALEA Commissioners.

The Shrewsbury Police Department is proud of our CALEA Accreditation record and our ability to consistently prove our dedication to professionalism and best practices.

All commissioned officers are required to be certified through the Missouri Department of Public Safety and comply with the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) requirements.  Police officers must obtain at minimum 24 hours of Continuing Law Enforcement Education (CLEE) each year, with at least 8 of the 24 hours coming from an "Approved Provider" of training. Of these 24 hours, officers must obtain a minimum of:

2 hours in Legal Studies
2 hours in Technical Studies
2 hours in Interpersonal Perspectives
2 hours of Skill Development in the area of Firearms
16 hours of Electives (Any of the above-listed core curricula areas)
1 hour of Racial Profiling training
1 hour of Implicit Bias training; and
Racial Profiling, Implicit Bias, and De-escalation training are part of the required 24 hours, not in addition to it.
The training consists of Firearm instruction consisting of a combination of classroom and practical exercises, CPR and First Aid, Defensive Tactics, Use of Force, and Implicit Bias.  All officers also complete 24 hours of virtual online computer training addressing a variety of law enforcement topics.

Each Shrewsbury officer, on average, attends roughly 50 hours of instruction annually, which is 26 hours above and beyond the minimum required by the State of Missouri.

The Shrewsbury Police Department has utilized in-car video/audio recording systems since 2001 to accomplish several objectives, including:

1. Accurate documentation of events, actions, conditions, and statements made during citizen contacts, arrests, and critical incidents, so as to enhance officer reports, collection of evidence and testimony in court.
2. The enhancement of this agency’s ability to review probable cause for arrest, arrest procedures, officer and suspect interaction, and evidence for investigative purposes, as well as for officer evaluation and training.
3. In 2021, we installed and instituted the Utility Body Camera system. These have proven to be a tremendous tool for investigations as well as personnel reviews. Department policy requires officers activate the recording system during any police related contact or incident.  The system automatically uploads all video to the server maintained within the Police Department when in range.  The server maintains the chain of custody for all video recordings ensuring the integrity of events captured.

The Shrewsbury Police Department supports and participates in the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT).  CIT training, developed in Memphis TN, provides a model of specialized law enforcement expertise. Volunteer officers, based in the general patrol division, work in cooperation with the mental health system, individuals in crises, and families. Trained CIT Police officers carry on the normal duties of law enforcement but switch to a specialist role when a potential mental health-related crisis is identified.  The partnership is an innovative first-responder model of police-based crisis intervention training to help persons with mental disorders and/or addictions access medical treatment rather than place them in the criminal justice system due to illness-related behaviors. It also promotes officer safety and the safety of the individual in crisis.

All commissioned personnel within the Shrewsbury Police Department are trained in CIT, which consists of an initial five-day, 40-hour training program.  Training is more than a "one-shot" deal. Several times a year, officers meet for debriefing meetings and in-service trainings to problem solve tactical issues, discuss different experiences and scenarios they have encountered, and participate in advanced training. This allows officers a chance to reinforce and sharpen their skills, address new problems, and build cohesiveness.  Additional training assists with Veteran CIT, Youth CIT, and Advanced CIT issues.

As a result of the program and related training, officers are better equipped with the necessary skills to identify an individual suffering from a mental health crisis, quickly de-escalate the situation, and provide resources bringing hope and recovery to those in need. 

This training curriculum is certified by Missouri Police Officer Standards and Training (POST)

In 2020, the Shrewsbury Police Department sent two officers to receive special training and become instructors in Law Enforcement Active Diffusion Strategies (L.E.A.D.S) at the St. Louis County Police Academy. In addition, in 2021, the Shrewsbury Police Department sent two additional officers to receive special training and become instructors in De-Escalation through Blue Shield Tactical Systems. The tools learned/taught can be used during a potential force encounter in an attempt to stabilize the situation and reduce the immediacy of the threat so that more time, options, and resources can be called upon to resolve the situation without the use of force or with a reduction in the force necessary. De-Escalation may include the use of such techniques as command presence, advisements, warnings, verbal persuasion, and tactical repositioning. 

This training curriculum is currently in the process of being certified by Missouri Police Officer Standards and Training (POST)

The Shrewsbury Police Department conducts yearly in-service training where officers receive instruction in the area of diversity and implicit bias.  The training model works by first improving the officer’s communication skills, so they can engage more effectively with others. Old cultural diversity training taught officers what they are doing wrong, which has proven to be ineffective in improving officers doing police work. Current training emphasizes de-escalation techniques and implicit bias understanding while using emotional intelligence. This empowers the officer with better, more effective decision-making abilities.

Through the course of the curriculum, officers learn skills that include:

• Emotional Self-Awareness
• Developing the intrinsic drive to be better
• Implicit Bias and Racial Intelligence
• Ethics and Integrity
• Situational awareness
• Empathy communication
• Officer Wellness: mental and physical health
• Behavioral Self-Control

This training curriculum is certified by Missouri Police Officer Standards and Training (POST)

The Field Training Officer (FTO) Program is intended to provide a standardized program to facilitate the officer's transition from the academic setting to actual performance of general law enforcement duties with the Shrewsbury Police Department. It prepares the new officer to perform in a patrol assignment and to ensure they possess all of the skills needed to operate in a safe, productive, and professional manner.

New officers are partnered with an experienced officer who has been specifically trained in the art of supervising and evaluating entry-level and lateral officers who have previous law enforcement experience.

The FTO program is an 18-week program consisting of five phases:

• Week 1 consists of classroom instruction, policy review, and range qualifications.
• Weeks 2-6 the trainee learns by observing the FTO and discussions.
• Weeks 7-10 the trainee begins handling low stress calls with assistance. 
• Weeks 11-14 the trainee is handling all calls and writing all reports.
• Weeks 15-18 the trainee is observed by the FTO as if a solo officer.

At the conclusion of each training day, the Field Training Officer completes a daily observation report and discusses the report with the new officer. Prior to completing each phase, the new officer must be recommended for advancement to the next phase by the Field Training Officer. All daily observations reports, and advancement recommendations are reviewed by the FTO Coordinator and Command Staff. 

After successfully completing the field training program, all officers must successfully complete a required 12-month probationary period without exception.

It is the policy of the Shrewsbury Police Department to recruit and select department personnel in a manner that is consistent with Federal and State laws, EEO regulations, City ordinances, City personnel rules, and regulations and the police department’s written directives.  The department will strive, at all times, to be an equal opportunity employer who recruits and selects the most qualified candidates available.  Recruitment and selection will be conducted in a manner that is fair, consistent, and non-discriminatory.

The Bureau of Support Services Commander serves as the Recruitment Coordinator. The coordinator will work in concert with the Bureau of Field Operations Commander to maintain, revise and implement the department’s Recruitment Plan and make recommendations to the chief of police regarding the Recruitment Plan to recruit and select the most qualified candidates.

The hiring process for Police Officers includes the following:

• Application Request (Applicant Personal History Questionnaire)
• Submission of Formal Application & Required Supporting Documents
• Application Review/Verification of Qualifying Credentials including P.O.S.T. certification and license
• Oral Interview Board
• Written Aptitude Test
• Integrity Interview
• Background Investigation to include review of criminal record and verification of personal references
• Chief’s Interview
• Conditional Offer of Employment
• Psychological Test
• Medical Exam, to include Drug Screen

Contingent upon the successful completion of the above requirements, the candidate is hired. The entire hiring process is generally conducted and completed in a period of 3-4 months.

The Shrewsbury Police Department takes each use of force report seriously and conducts a complete review for each use of force report filed.

All use of force incidents involving Shrewsbury Police employees are cause for an investigation to be conducted. For each use of force application, the first line supervisor (Corporal or Sergeant on-duty) conducts an interview of the person (or people) force was applied to and establishes if there are any medical needs, what the circumstances of the application of force are, is there any allegations of misconduct or excessive force used or does the person that force was used on agree that the level of force was appropriate. Supervisors who are made aware of medical needs ensure that everyone with injuries is examined and treated. The supervisor then verifies the basic facts through questioning the officers involved, in-car camera video review, and interviews with witnesses and suspects. A memo documenting the investigation is prepared by the supervisor.

Notification from the first line supervisor is made up the chain of command to the Chief of Police. A Bureau Commander is then assigned by the Chief to not only review the basic facts and in-car videos, but they are also tasked with providing an overview of the incident, ensuring that the Police Department is providing the best possible service to the community. Some additional areas reviewed include:

• What, if anything, could we have done differently?
• Is there a need for additional training?
• Was there a training failure?
• What did we learn from this?

The review of the use of force will be forwarded through the chain of command in order of:

• • First line supervisor
  • Bureau Commander
  • Chief of Police

At each review level, the officer's actions are accepted or denied based on the facts presented. If the officer's actions are not approved, at any Command Staff level a letter is then attached to the report detailing the concern and recommendation for action to be taken. Once the incident has cleared all levels of scrutiny, the videos of the incident are directed back to supervisors of the Field Operations Bureau to be used as roll call training.

These steps are taken each time an officer is required to use force to ensure the Shrewsbury Police Department is delivering constitutionally sound, superior law enforcement services with professionalism.