Examples of ways Great Barrington demonstrates Policy and Oversight
- The GBPD has policies outlining nonlethal force, internal affairs investigations and records administration.
- The GBPD participates in the FBI’s Use of Force Initiative.
- The GBPD participates in the IACP’s One Mind Campaign|
- The GBPD currently employs 7 officers that have been certified as CIT officers after completing the full 40-hour course in conjunction with the One Mind Campaign.
- The GBPD has policies outlining the handling of critical incidents and officer involved shootings.
- The GBPD reports the department demographics in our ‘Open Data Portal’ on our website.
- The GBPD will release public information regarding officers when requested in accordance with the Massachusetts Public Records Law.
- The GBPD compiles monthly incident and arrest reports.
- The GBPD has policies outlining uniform traffic enforcement guidelines and conducting traffic stops.
- The GBPD does not mandate or require an officer to reach a quota for the issuance of traffic citations.
- The GBPD utilizes consent to search forms when seeking consent before a search.
- Each officer is provided a business card with their contact information on it and is encouraged to provide them during public encounters or when requested.
- The GBPD recently created a ‘Crowd Control’ Policy and the Chief of Police participated in a webinar about this topic. The 2 Sergeants have received specialized training.
- The GBPD has revised its Use of Force policy to include banning choke-holds, officers’ duty to intervene and provide first aid and de-escalation tactics.
- The GBPD has shared a number of its policies on the website.
