A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will arrive on December 8, 2007 to examine all aspects of the Henderson Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services.
Verification by the team that the Henderson Police Department meets the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation – a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.
As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Monday, December 10, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. The session will be conducted at the meeting room of the H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library at 205 Breckenridge Street in Henderson, North Carolina.
If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, he or she may do so by telephone. The public may call at 252.430.3164 on Monday, December 10, 2007 between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to five minutes and must address the agencies ability to comply with CALEA standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Henderson Police Department. The local contact is Lt. Perry Twisdale at 252.431.6069.
Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Henderson Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, VA 22020-2215.
The police department has to comply with 446 standards in order to gain accredited status. By achieving accredited status, the department will be recognized nationally an internationally in the law enforcement community.
The assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar but out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit officers and other places where compliance can be witnessed. The assessing team is comprised of the team leader and two additional assessors. Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the Commission, which will then decide if the department is to be granted accredited status.
Accreditation is for three years, during which time 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 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, VA 22030-2215 or call 1.800.368.3757 or 703.352.4425.