Accreditation Assessment Team Invites Public Comment
By Editor at November 13, 2023 | 9:30 am | Print
A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), will arrive November 15th 2015 to examine all aspects of the Berlin Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services, Chief Paul Fitzgerald announced today.
Verification by the team that the Berlin 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 public safety professional excellence, he said.
As part of the on-site assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session Monday November 16th, 2015 at 6:00 PM. The session will be conducted in the town council chambers on the third floor of the Berlin Town Hall. Town Hall is located at 240 Kensington Road, Berlin, Connecticut. If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session, but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone. The pubic may call (860) 828-7171 on Monday November 16th, 2015 between the hours of 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM.
Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to ten minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Berlin Police Department. The Accreditation Manager for the Berlin Police Department is Lieutenant Chris Ciuci assisted by Sergeant Todd Lentini. They can be reached at (860) 828-7080 or [email protected] , [email protected].
Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Berlin Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA),13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155
The Berlin Police Department has to comply with 100% of the applicable mandatory standards and at least 80% of the non-mandatory standards in order to gain accredited status, Chief Fitzgerald said. The department is currently in compliance with all 317 mandatory standards and 77 of the 85 non-mandatory standards or 91%. The Berlin Police Department has been an internationally accredited agency since 1996 and is now seeking its sixth re-accreditation.
Receiving accredited status by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies is an important achievement for our department, Chief Fitzgerald said. Accreditation requires us to develop comprehensive, well thought out, and uniform policies and procedures. This is one of the most successful methods for reaching administrative and operational goals, while also providing direction to our personnel. Accreditation also limits the department’s liability and risk exposure because it demonstrates that internationally recognized standards for law enforcement have been met and verified by a team of independent outside CALEA trained assessors. Accreditation also facilitates our pursuit of professional excellence.
The CALEA Program Manager for the Berlin Police Department is Mr. Paul MacMillan. He said that the assessment team is composed of public safety practitioners from similar, but out of state agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other locations where compliance can be witnessed.
The assessors are:
Gary Vest
Chief of Police
Powell (OH) Police Department
47 Hall Street
Powell, OH 43065-8357
Jeffrey Smythe
Chief of Police
Burlington (NC) Police Department
267 West Front Street
Burlington, NC 27215
Once the CALEA Assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status, Mr. Paul MacMillan stated.
Accreditation is for three years, during which 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 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155; call (703) 352 4225 or email [email protected].
