A-State Police Department to Undergo Accreditation Process
JONESBORO — A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), will arrive Monday, March 19, to examine all aspects of the Arkansas State University Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services.
“Verification by the team that the A-State Police Department meets the commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to remain accredited,” said Chief Randy Martin. “Accreditation is a highly prized recognition of public safety professional excellence.”
As part of the on-site assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session Tuesday, March 20, starting at 3 p.m. The session will be conducted in the police department conference room at 503 Robinson Street.
The University Police Department (UPD) has to comply with 161 standards in order to gain accredited status, Chief Martin continued.
If an individual is unable to attend the public information session but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, they may do so by calling (870) 972-2228 on Tuesday, March 20, between 1-3 p.m.
Persons wishing to offer written comments about the ability to meet the standards for accreditation are asked to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155.
Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. A copy of the standards is available at the University Police Department by calling Capt. Jarrod Long at (870) 972-2093.
Randy Scott is the CALEA program manager for A-State’s police department. Scott said the assessment team is composed of public safety practitioners from similar out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals and visit officers and other locations where compliance can be witnessed.
“The assessors are Asst. Chief William Buckbee from the Kent State University Police Department in Kent, Ohio, and Edmund Pecinovsky, retired from the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) for the State of California,” said Long. “Once the CALEA assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status.”
Accreditation is for four years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.
For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., write the Commission at 13575 Heathcote Blvd, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia 20155, call (703) 352-4225 or email calea@calea.org.
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