State regulators put off recertification of Palm Beach County police academy

[Apollo8138]

Unconvinced that the Palm Beach County police academy has fixed its problems, state regulators recommend the school's recertification not be considered until February.

Without certification, the school cannot continue to operate.

The Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, which oversees state law enforcement training, plans to take up the recertification issue on Thursday .

The Palm Beach County Community College Criminal Justice Institute, which has a $1.5 million budget, trains hundreds of police and corrections recruits a year. During the six-month program, recruits are taught about the law, how to use weapons and how to drive a police car.

In a July 18 letter to the college, Michael D. Crews, director of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's criminal justice professionalism program, wrote, "Given the totality of noncompliance issues at a single training school, recertification is not a viable option."

The commission decided not to grant the school a new five-year certificate in May because of the recurring rule violations. In addition, it launched yet another investigation into allegations against an instructor, Robert Gleichauf and the school's acting director, Jill Reiter.

FDLE cleared Reiter, but continues its investigation, Crews said in his letter.

FDLE suggested the school stay open under an extension of its existing certification. In addition, the agency suggested that the Institute report monthly on the steps it's taking to fix recurring problems.

The state law enforcement agency acts as the commission's staff and makes recommendations. But it's the commission that decides whether to shut down the school.

The school's uncertain future has some county law enforcement officials looking to send their recruits elsewhere.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the largest police agency in the county now sends its recruits to schools in Broward and St. Lucie counties.

Bradshaw hopes to hire 35 new deputies and corrections officer this year and another 30 or so next year, he said. Until the school in Palm Beach County is officially recertified, he doesn't plan to make any changes, he said.

Grace Truman, a college spokeswoman, admitted that while enrollment of recruits is down, recruits are still entering the program.

She said there are eight recruits in the current class finishing the six-month long program. Fifteen have signed up for the class that starts in August, Truman said. Another class is set to begin in January.

The West Palm Beach police department continues to send recruits to the local academy after reviewing the issues there, said Capt. Allan Ortman. Six recruits are in the current class and nine are scheduled for the next class, he said.

"The academy has been good to us for so long," he said.

Truman said the police academy has been making changes. Under Reiter, it discovered that there "wasn't a really good record" of operations.

"Everything is now documented," she said. "That wasn't the case before."

Directors from two other police academies are reviewing the school and will make suggestions to improve it, she said.

"We are very confident we will get recertified," Truman said.

Source

[imalazypup]

I wonder where the issues are, it doesn't state that in the article.