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Wyoming police chief outlines new Minnesota law enforcement accreditation option
Summary
Chief Bauer briefed the City Council on a new Minnesota Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (MnLEAP) being piloted by the Chiefs Association; the program costs $1,200 to start and $600 annually, with grant support for associated technology, and is intended as a lower-cost alternative to national accreditation programs.
Chief Bauer told the Wyoming City Council on an accreditation pilot available through the Minnesota Chiefs Association that the program, called MnLEAP, offers a state-specific accreditation option for small agencies.
The update explained why the city is considering MnLEAP: a set of documented standards the department would adopt and maintain that could bolster professional practices, increase public accountability and potentially reduce litigation risk. Bauer said national programs such as CALEA exist but are “extremely expensive” and require more staff time than smaller agencies can typically provide. The MnLEAP rollout is supported with a grant that will help cover technology costs.
Bauer described the program’s cost structure as relatively low for Wyoming’s size: an initial fee of $1,200 and $600 annually thereafter. He said the Chiefs Association is offering a mix of on-site and online assistance and would provide a program representative to help departments adopt the standards. He also said the association obtained grant funding to offset the technology the accreditation process requires for agencies of Wyoming’s size.
Council members asked whether the initial fee would be grant-funded and how the in-person assessment would work. Bauer said there is not a grant for the initial fee but the technology connection has grant support and that the specialist from the Chiefs Association would work on-site and online with departments. He also said the association researched other states’ programs over the past year to tailor standards specific to Minnesota and drew on stakeholder groups including community members, sheriffs and chiefs.
Bauer described a sliding fee scale for larger agencies: agencies with up to 100 officers are at the higher end of the scale ($5,000 startup and $2,000 annual for much larger agencies). He characterized MnLEAP as intended to be an attainable, state-focused alternative for smaller Minnesota agencies.
Council members had no objections and the item was received as an informational update.
