Police Commissioners, Department Recognized for Service
By Editor at May 6, 2024 | 9:30 am | Print
On April 21 Chief Paul Fitzgerald presented the Berlin Board of Police Commissioners the “Advanced Meritorious” certificate of re-accreditation. Chief Fitzgerald also recognized the hard work of Lt. Christopher Ciuci and Sgt. Todd Lentini for their 3-year effort to achieve this status.
The Berlin Police Department was re-accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) on March 23, 2024 at the Commission’s conference in St. Louis, Missouri. Berlin is one of only 14 law enforcement agencies in Connecticut to achieve CALEA accredited status. This is the 7th time Berlin PD has been re-accredited and was therefore awarded “Advanced Meritorious Accreditation” status by the Commission.
The department complied with all applicable mandatory standards (343). Also, there are optional law enforcement standards. In total the department was in compliance with 422 law enforcement standards during this accreditation assessment period (2013-2015).
Some of the benefits of law enforcement accreditation are:
Greater accountability within the agency CALEA standards give the Chief Executive Officer a proven management system of written directives, sound training, clearly defined lines of authority, and routine reports that support decision-making and resource allocation.
Reduced risk and liability exposure
Many agencies report a reduction in its liability insurance costs and/or reimbursement of accreditation fees.
Stronger defense against civil lawsuits
Accredited agencies are better able to defend themselves against civil lawsuits. Also, many agencies report a decline in legal actions against them, once they become accredited.
Staunch support from government officials
Accreditation provides objective evidence of an agency’s commitment to excellence in leadership, resource management, and service-delivery. Thus, government officials are more confident in the agency’s ability to operate efficiently and meet community needs.
Increased community advocacy
Accreditation embodies the precepts of community-oriented policing. It creates a forum in which law enforcement agencies and citizens work together to prevent and control challenges confronting law enforcement and provides clear direction about community expectations.
