From
The Desk Of Brenda Smith
Accreditation Manager
Click
below to View Video
Accreditation Video I
Accreditation Video II
The Picayune Police Department is accredited
through the Commission on Accreditation for Law enforcement
Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). The Law Enforcement Accreditation program
was originally developed to address what was seen as a need to
enhance law enforcement as a profession and to improve law
enforcement.
Accreditation is a coveted award that
symbolizes professionalism, excellence, and competence. Achieving
this level of excellence made us only the third Nationally
Accredited municipal agency in the state of Mississippi. Through the
accreditation process, the Picayune Police Department maintains
external independent verification of its policing excellence.
Employees of the Picayune Police Department take pride in their
police services, knowing it represents the very best in law
enforcement.
A contract with the Commission on Law Enforcement Accreditation was
officially signed in July 2004. The Commission on Law Enforcement
Accreditation gives agencies three years to complete the process. We
were able to achieve the certification in about two years. In August
of 2006, a team of trained assessors assigned by the Commission from
other agencies through out the United States assessed the Picayune
Police Department and made their recommendation to the Commission.
On November 18, 2006 Chief Luke and I attended
the Commission on Law Enforcement Accreditation conference in Reno
Nevada. A hearing was held before a committee made up of members of
the Commission to answer questions the commissioners may have had.
This committee was made up of New Mexico’s Secretary of State,
Director of Criminal Justice Program at Cedarville University
Cedarville, Ohio and Chief of Police at Garden Grove California.
Later on that day Chief Luke accepted the Accreditation
Certification for the Picayune Police Department.
The accreditation and re-accreditation process
is demanding and extremely detailed. The department must have
policies in place that meet the highest standards of modern law
enforcement. The department must also demonstrate and show proof
that it adheres to those policies.
The Commission gives the agencies three years before
reaccredidation. The police department will go thru re-accreditation
by CALEA assessors in August of 2009. The Picayune Police Department
will go before the Commission and become re-accredited November of
2009.
The Police Department is very involved in the
accreditation on a national level. Currently there is one member of
the department that is a CALEA certified assessor. This person has
the opportunity to assess other agencies around the country on
behalf of CALEA. The Picayune Police Department also received
accreditation from the State of Mississippi Certification Program
May 16, 2007.
The Commission on Accreditation for Law
Enforcement was created in 1979 through the joint efforts of law
enforcement’s major executive associations: International
Association of Chiefs of Police, National Organization of Black Law
Enforcement Executives, National Sheriff’s Association, and Police
Executive Research Forum. Law Enforcement agencies can demonstrate
voluntarily that they meet professionally recognized criteria for
excellence in management and service delivery.
The accreditation process involves a comprehensive
self-assessment by the department of the 459 standards developed by
CALEA. The standards address management decisions, preparedness
programs, relationship with the community, accountability, liability
and risk exposure and professional excellence. The benefits to the
agency and community are: Greater Accountability within the agency,
Reduced risk and liability exposure, Stronger defense against civil
lawsuits, Staunch support from government officials, and Increased
community advocacy. There are five phases in the accreditation
processes; Application, Self-assessment, On-site assessment,
Commission Review and Maintaining Compliance and Reaccredidation.