We are pleased to announce the Frederick Police Department has met the requirements of the highly regarded, broadly recognized, Law Enforcement Accreditation standards and has been awarded accredited status by the Commission on Accreditation for .....
Frederick Police Department Attains CALEA Accreditation
Frederick, MD – April 29, 2016: We are pleased to announce the Frederick Police Department has met the requirements of the highly regarded, broadly recognized, Law Enforcement Accreditation standards and has been awarded accredited status by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.
After three years of compilation and preparation of files to show proof of compliance with over 189 CALEA standards, two professional assessors visited the Frederick Police Department in December of 2015, and reviewed the agency’s policies and procedures; management, operations and support services, and accreditation proof files. These assessors determined the agency is in compliance with all applicable standards. They also spoke with members of Frederick City government; members of allied agencies, and members of the public.
At the Commission meeting held in St. Louis, Missouri in April, 2016, CALEA Commissioners reviewed the assessors’ report, concurred with their findings, and unanimously voted to accredit the Frederick Police Department. The accreditation is valid for the next four year, when the Department will undergo another in-depth review by the Commission of the agency’s management and operations practices. The entire Assessment Report can be viewed on the City of Frederick Web (http://www.cityoffrederick.com/DocumentCenter/View/5598)
This accreditation award represents the commitment of the Frederick Police Department to safeguard lives and property, to reduce the incidence and fear of crime with impartiality and integrity, and to enhance public safety while partnering with our community to improve quality of life.
Chief Ed Hargis said “The Frederick Police Department has worked diligently over the past three years in order to attain CALEA Accreditation. This significant achievement demonstrates that the our policies and operational procedures meet nationally recognized best policing practices; and reassures the public of our commitment to professionalism and service excellence.”
What is Law Enforcement Accreditation?
Accreditation is a process in which a law enforcement agency voluntarily complies with 189 professional standards for Full Law Enforcement Accreditation, and 464 professional standards for Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation defined by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). The standards focus on department policies, and operational procedures such as police training, use of force, emergency preparedness, and accountability. Compliance with these standards means a law enforcement agency both follows a code of conduct recognized by its law enforcement peers, the legal system and the public and also meets the best professional requirements and practices for agencies nationwide.
What is CALEA?
The Law Enforcement Accreditation Program was the first credentialing program established by CALEA after its founding. It was originally developed to address what was seen as a need to enhance law enforcement as a profession and to improve law enforcement. That mission continues today. The program is open to all types of law enforcement agencies, on an international basis. It provides a process to systematically conduct an internal review and assessment of the agencies’ policies and procedures, and make adjustments wherever necessary to meet a body of internationally accepted standards.
Since the first CALEA Accreditation Award was granted in 1984, the program has become the primary method for an agency to voluntarily demonstrate their commitment to excellence in law enforcement. The standards upon which the Law Enforcement Accreditation Program is based reflect the current thinking and experience of law enforcement practitioners and researchers. Major law enforcement associations, leading educational and training institutions, governmental agencies, as well as law enforcement executives internationally, acknowledge CALEA’s Standards for Law Enforcement Agencies© and its Accreditation Program as benchmarks for today’s law enforcement agency.
o CALEA Accreditation requires an agency to develop a comprehensive, well thought out, uniform set of written directives. This is one of the most successful methods for reaching administrative and operational goals, while also providing direction to personnel.
o CALEA Accreditation standards provide the necessary reports and analyses a CEO needs to make fact-based, informed management decisions.
o CALEA Accreditation requires a preparedness program be put in place—so an agency is ready to address natural or man-made unusual occurrences.
o CALEA Accreditation is a means for developing or improving upon an agency’s relationship with the community.
o CALEA Accreditation strengthens an agency’s accountability, both within the agency and the community, through a continuum of standards that clearly define authority, performance, and responsibilities.
o Being CALEA Accredited can limit an agency’s liability and risk exposure because it demonstrates that internationally recognized standards for law enforcement have been met, as verified by a team of independent outside CALEA-trained assessors.
o CALEA Accreditation facilitates an agency’s pursuit of professional excellence
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