In August 2006 the Greenbelt Police Department underwent an extensive on-site assessment by a team of three specially trained assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Upon completion of the assessment the Department was found to be in compliance with the 446 standards of professional excellences set forth by CALEA. In November 2006, in Reno, Nevada, the Department received full unconditional accreditation from CALEA. This was the culmination after three years of intense self-assessment by the Department.
CALEA accreditation runs in three year cycles, the Department is currently reevaluating every policy and procedure against CALEA’s new 5 th edition of standards. The Department’s next on-site assessment is scheduled for August 2009 and celebration of the Department’s first re-accreditation at the CALEA conference in Salt Lake City, Utah in November 2009.
In March 2007, the Department’s Accreditation Manager was selected and trained by CALEA to assess other departments seeking initial or re-accreditation status.
What is Accreditation? |
A process where state and local law enforcement agencies can demonstrate voluntarily that they comply with national standards which are an indication of professional excellence.
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What are the benefits of Accreditation? |
- Nationwide recognition of professional excellence
- A method of executing daily agency operations under a professional format
- Continued planning, programming, and development
- Better community understanding and support
- State and local government confidence in the agency
- State of the art impartial guidelines for evaluation and change
- Proactive management and information systems to give feedback on policies and procedures
- Better coordination with neighboring agencies and various components of the criminal justice system
- Access to the latest in law enforcement practices, via interfacing with other accredited agencies
- Pride, satisfaction and confidence, in the agency and confidence that comes with success
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Are there any other agencies accredited in the State of Maryland ? |
Yes. Currently there are 28 agencies that are already accredited in the State of Maryland.
- Aberdeen Proving Grounds Police
- Annapolis Police Department
- Anne Arundel County Police
- Baltimore County Police
- Carroll County Sheriff’s Department
- Charles County Sheriff’s Department
- Chevy Chase Village Police
- Fredrick Police
- Frederick County Sheriff’s Department
- Gaithersburg Police
- Greenbelt Police
- Kent County Sheriff’s Department
- Hagerstown Police
- Howard County Police
- Hyattsville Police
- Laurel Police
- Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Police ( Prince George’s and Montgomery County)
- Maryland Transportation Authority Police
- Montgomery County Police
- Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department
- NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement
- Prince George ’s County Police
- Rockville Police
- Salisbury Police
- Takoma Park Police
- University of Maryland Police ( College Park)
- University of Maryland Baltimore Police
- Several more Maryland agencies are currently involved in the accreditation process.
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What is the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., (CALEA)? |
Formed in 1979 comprising of four major law enforcement executive membership associations:
- International Association of Chiefs of Police
- National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
- National Sheriff’s Association
- Police Executive Research Forum
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Why was CALEA created? |
The Commission was created to develop a set of universal law enforcement standards and accreditation process by which law enforcement agencies at the state and local levels can demonstrate voluntarily that they meet professional standards.
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On what date did the Greenbelt Police Department sign the "Agreement" with CALEA? |
December 15, 2003
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On what date did the Greenbelt City Police Department become Accredited for the first time? |
November 16, 2006
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What is inside a CALEA Standard folder maintained by the Accreditation Manager? |
- A copy of the specific standard
- A copy of the current written directive that documents compliance with the specific standard
- Any documentation which demonstrates compliance with the standard
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What are the major steps in the Accreditation Process? |
- Application
- Self Assessment
- On site assessment
- Commission review
- Awarding of accreditation status
- Maintenance of compliance
- Recertification
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What areas do the standards cover? |
- Law enforcement role, responsibilities, and relationships with other agencies
- Organization, management, and administration
- The personal structure and process
- Traffic operations
- Prisoner and court related activities
- Communications
- Property/evidence control
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What are the standards designed to accomplish? |
- Increase citizen awareness and staff confidence in the goals, objectives, policies, and procedures of the agency
- Enhance agency effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of law enforcement services
- Improve cooperation and coordination with other law enforcement agencies and the other components of the criminal justice system.
- To say "what" to do - leaving the "how" to do it to the agency
- Increase agency capabilities to investigate, locate and arrest criminals, and control crime
- Enhance training and professionalism among staff
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