Edmonds police audit suggests body cams, fewer traffic stops
EDMONDS — Edmonds police should get body cameras, minimize excessive traffic stops and hire more officers, an external audit of the department recommends.
The Center for Public Safety Management, a Washington D.C. firm that conducted the audit released last week, lists more than 100 suggestions for the Edmonds Police Department, ranging from more efficient investigations into complaints against officers, to decreasing lengthy response times on high-priority calls.
“The number of recommendations should in no way be interpreted as an indictment of what we consider to be a fine department,” the audit notes. CPSM specifically commended the department’s training, the reported lack of use of force and the officers’ dedication to the community.
The audit finds Edmonds police at a crossroads. The department can continue its small-town, community-oriented approach to policing, or it can staff up to respond to increasing demand in a growing city. And the findings come with the arrival of a new police chief. Last month, Michelle Bennett was picked to fill the position permanently.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/edmonds-police-audit-suggests-body-cams-fewer-traffic-stops/