DPS seeking accreditation

The Department of Public Safety is awaiting word from theCommission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies on whether it will receive accreditation from that organization.

CALEA is a national organization that prescribes standards for law enforcement agencies and recognizes agencies that meet its standards by awarding them accreditation. Agencies may choose to seek accreditation to improve their internal processes through the accreditation process or to demonstrate that their practices are accountable to a respected organization.

It is a voluntary process and not necessary for the legal operation of DPS.

“Good organizations get involved in this,” CALEA executive director CraigHartley said. “It’s a good tool to make sure they are holding themselves accountable to the public.”

CALEA was started in the 1970s in response to questions about police authority and ethics, Hartley said.

“People were asking questions like, ‘How can we professionalize law enforcement? How can we develop standards for reaching this goal?’ " he said. "We created this organization to help ensure agencies are approaching the issues in the best way possible."

DPS has wanted to seek the accreditation for over five years, University spokesperson Martin Mbugua said. The agency began the accreditation process three years ago, he added.

DPS Director of Operations Stefanie Karp deferred comment to Mbugua.

To begin the process, public safety agencies have to fill out an enrollment form to state their interest in the accreditation, Hartley said.

Institutions seeking the accreditation have to be public or private police institutions that have “the lawful authority” to carry out law enforcement in their states or are made up of sworn police officers, he said.

After agencies demonstrate they meet this criteria, they move into a self-assessment period in which they ensure they are meeting 188 different standards, Hartley said.

The standards comprise topics like administrative structure, privacy, performance evaluations, communications, record keeping and emergency operations. DPS is applying for Tier I accreditation. Tier II accreditation has 482 standards and is primarily intended for larger agencies or agencies that have operated under Tier I accreditation for some time.

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The self-assessment process can last up to 36 months, but most agencies take around 28-30 months, Hartley added.

In the self-assessment period, agencies similar to DPS ensure they are meeting CALEA standards and are following their rules, Hartley said. After agencies feel they are ready, they contact CALEA to begin the on-site assessment.

CALEA assessors spend two days reviewing the relevant institution’s files at an off-site location to make sure they are meeting their standards, Hartley said. After that, the team arrives on-site to conduct employee interviews to make sure they are following their employer’s rules and to talk to interested community members.

The University has benefited from the candid feedback it has received during the accreditation process, Mbugua said.

After the assessors finish their review, they compile reports that will be presented at a CALEA conference, three of which are held a year, Hartley said. If CALEA commissioners feel the agency has met their standards, then accreditation is awarded.

DPS is currently in this review and decision stage, Mbugua said.

Since CALEA just had its March conference, it might not be until July that DPS finds out whether they receive the accreditation, Hartley said.

The accreditation is awarded for a three-year period, he added. In order to maintain the accreditation for that time, agencies must submit annual reports to detail whether they are continuing to comply with CALEA standards.

Accreditation is an ongoing process, and the University intends to maintain its accreditation in the future, Mbugua said.