A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), will examine all aspects of the Clinton Police Department policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services, Chief Donald Edwards announced this week.

Verification by the team that the Clinton Police Department meets the Commission’s state-of-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation-a highly prized recognition of public safety professional excellence, he said.

As part of the Remote On-Site assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a Public Call-In session being held this Monday, July 6. The public may call 910-592-3105 to speak with an assessor between 1 and 4 p.m.

Telephone comments at the public call-in 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 Clinton Police Department. If you wish to have a copy, contact Belinda Parker at 910-592-3105.

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Clinton Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155.

The Clinton Police Department must comply with 188 standards to gain accredited status, Edwards said.

“The accreditation process is beneficial to insure we are achieving the best national policing standards and providing the highest level of service for the citizens of Clinton,” Edwards noted.

The CALEA assessment manager for the Clinton Police Department is Lt. Adrian Mathews. He said the assessment team is composed of public safety practitioners from similar, but out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other locations where compliance can be witnessed.

The assessors are Bradley Biller (team leader), retired lieutenant for the City of Bowling Green Police Division-Ohio and Lawrence Pincsak (assessor), accreditation manager for the Bartlett Police Department in Bartlett, Ill.

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, Mathews stated.

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. please write the Commission at 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155; or call 703-352-4225 or email [email protected].