Police Community Advisory Committee

The West Plains Police Department announced the formation of the “Police Community Advisory Committee,” a group that has been created to function as a resource for the City of West Plains and the West Plains Police Department to assist in the formation of strategies, development of community policing concepts, increasing public awareness, furthering engagement and transparency efforts, and help to identify best practices. The Committee is intended to supply a forum for discussions concerning community issues and the goal is to have a broad spectrum of viewpoints represented. 

Strengthening community-police relations requires understanding community dynamics and building individual connections between community members and their law enforcement agency. When police and community members engage with each other, departments receive valuable feedback and assistance, while community members gain insight into how departments function.

One way to engage the community is to form a community advisory committee – a volunteer group which meets regularly to provide advice and perspectives to executive staff. A committee’s membership should be carefully chosen to represent different voices and needs from the community. 

A successful advisory committee demonstrates to the community that its police department is making an effort to listen to them, and that officers care about finding the best way to serve them. By asking for community input via advisory committees, departments demonstrate transparency and commitment to their communities.

The West Plains Police Department is committed to community engagement and providing exceptional and transparent police services. In support of this commitment, the mission of the Police community Advisory Committee is to function as a resource for both the community and the Police to enhance community involvement regarding policy issues. The Police Community Advisory Committee acts solely in an advisory capacity and will be driven by the active participation, creativity, and vision of its members. To carry out its purpose, the Committee will address  issues associated with police-community relations, the improvement of the West Plains Police Department’s operations, and public safety issues to further enhance the quality of life in our community. The Committee will function as a sounding board for the Chief regarding community needs and concerns while keeping the Chief apprised of the community’s need for police services. The Committee will focus on contemporary challenges that affect the community and its Police Department.

The Committee will be comprised of eight to ten members, featuring a diverse cross-section of active community members throughout the City of West Plains. These members will represent a range of interests and experiences, such as business owners, residents, education, non-profits, public relations, faith community, youth representation, and more. Members must be West Plains residents or West Plains businesses. Members are chosen to serve on the Committee for their professionalism, integrity, and commitment to their community.

Committee members are strongly urged to attend the Police Department’s Citizen Academy. The next Citizen’s Academy begins on September 7.

If you are interested in serving on this important community committee, applications may be found online at “westplains.gov” or in the lobby of the West Plains Police Department at 1912 Holiday Lane. Applications are required to be submitted by July 1, to West Plains Police Department, 1912 Holiday Lane, West Plains, Missouri 65775, ATTENTION: Chief Stephen Monticelli.

Every effort will be made to select applicants that represent different sectors of the community; together the committee should represent the interests, skills, and experiences of the whole community.