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The Smithfield Police Department and National Accreditation
On
March 24th, 2004, the Smithfield Police Department was awarded
reaccredited status by The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement
Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), and is currently one of only five law enforcement
agencies in Rhode Island to receive such an honor. The other agencies are
the Rhode Island State Police, Warwick Police Department, Brown University
Department of Police and Security, and Cumberland Police Department. The
Smithfield Police Department must remain in compliance with all applicable
standards established by CALEA to be eligible for reaccredited status in
March, 2007.
Accreditation Manager’s Update
Since the last update, the Smithfield Police Department underwent its
official “On-Site Assessment,” to verify its compliance with all applicable
CALEA Standards. Of course, we did not make it easy for the three CALEA
assessors – they arrived in the midst of our first significant winter storm,
on December 6th, 2003. Several flight delays and cancellations
later, the travel-weary Assessment Team forged their way to the snowcapped
Smithfield Police Department headquarters. The team consisted of three
CALEA-certified assessors: Captain Mark Brooks, of the Shelby, North
Carolina Police Department (Team Leader); Commander William Benson, of the
Wheeling, Illinois Police Department; and Lieutenant Craig Bailey, of the
Kettering, Ohio Police Department. Chief McGarry and the members of the
Smithfield Police Department were impressed with the thoroughness and
overall professionalism that these three team members exhibited – a real
testament to the high standards promoted by CALEA.
The
on-site assessment was an intensive process that included an agency tour,
static display(s), review of all accreditation files (400+ in number),
numerous interviews with agency personnel, panel review discussion sessions,
observations of and “ride-alongs” with officers. During their visit
(December 6th – 10th), the assessors’ mission was to
determine the agency’s compliance with CALEA Standards – not only must the
Smithfield Police Department’s policies have been established and
acceptable, so must its practices have been. In addition, the
Department had to prove that its policies and practices have been in
compliance since the last on-site assessment (in our case, December of
2000), to be eligible for re-accredited status in March.
So,
how did the Smithfield Police Department fare in this process? At the
conclusion of the on-site assessment, the assessors, although not overly
impressed with our New England weather, indicated that they were
quite impressed with the Department – its personnel, equipment,
policies, procedures and practices. On March 20th, 2004, Chief
McGarry and Sergeant VanNieuwenhuyze traveled to the CALEA Conference in
Pasadena, California. There, executives from CALEA reviewed the assessors’
final report and recommendations. Following this review, the Smithfield
Police Department was awarded reaccredited status.
What is National Accreditation?
Accreditation is a voluntary program undertaken by a law enforcement agency
to promote excellence, efficiency and professionalism. With these goals in
mind, Police Chief William A. McGarry has sought and attained National
Accreditation for the Smithfield Police Department. To attain accredited
status, a law enforcement agency must meet the standards advanced by a
governing body, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
(CALEA). This agency was formed in 1979 under the joint partnership of four
national law enforcement organizations: the Police Executive Research Forum
(PERF), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the
National Sheriffs' Association (NSA), and the National Organization of Black
Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). Their joint memberships comprise nearly
eighty percent (80%) of all law enforcement officers. The objectives of an
agency seeking Accreditation are varied, but can generally be broken down
into several distinct categories. Fiscally and legally speaking,
accreditation helps control insurance costs and contributes to a strong
defense against lawsuits. Also, an accredited agency can expect to enjoy
higher employee morale and can expect to receive more advocacy from
government officials and the citizens of the community. Accountability to
the community's citizens and taxpayers is also a significant aim for a law
enforcement agency. Accreditation provides that higher degree of
accountability for the Smithfield Police Department. The Department now has
a proven management system, with defined lines of authority, communication
and operations. There are presently 446 standards that a law enforcement
agency must meet and adhere to. An agency seeking accreditation must pass a
rigid review process established by a 21-member Commission. The current
standards of CALEA deal with the following areas: 1. Role, responsibilities
and relationships with other agencies; 2. Organization, management and
administration; 3. Personnel administration; 4. Law enforcement operations,
operational support and traffic law enforcement; 5. Prisoner and court
related services, and; 6. Auxiliary and technical services. Now that the
Smithfield Police Department is accredited, the citizens of Smithfield have
national standards with which to gauge the performance of the men and women
of their police department. |
