Police seek public comment
The CALEA assessment team will examine Grand Prairie Police Department’s on-going compliance with accepted standards of law enforcement service excellence and professionalism.
As part of the on-site assessment, employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 13, 2010, conducted at the recently opened Public Safety Building’s Community Briefing Room at 1525 Arkansas Lane in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Individuals who are unable to attend the scheduled public information session may provide comments to the assessment team by telephone at 972-237-8899 on Sunday, September 12, 2010, between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Comments will be received by the CALEA assessment team.
Telephone comments and appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes per person and must address the Grand Prairie Police Department’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. A copy of the standards is available for review through the department’s Accreditation Section, which may be contacted at 972-237-8963 during normal business hours.
Persons wishing to submit written comments about the Grand Prairie Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia, 20155.
The CALEA accreditation program is voluntary and requires agencies to comply with state-of-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations and support services. It recognizes law enforcement agencies for professional excellence and provides opportunities for constant improvement.
The Grand Prairie Police Department has to comply with more than 400 standards in order to gain accredited status. Accreditation allows the department to demonstrate its professionalism and dedication to excellence through adherence to the law enforcement industry’s standards for “best practices.”
The accreditation team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar but out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written material, interview individuals, and visit offices and other places where compliance can be witnessed. The assessors are:
Team Leader
Chief (Ret.) Randy Nichols, Retired Chief of Police
Pitt County Memorial Hospital Police Department, Greenville, NC
Team Member
Commander Kathy Foos, Accreditation Manager
Arvada Police Department, Arvada, CO
Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they will report back to the full Commission. The Commission will then determine if the department will be granted a 1st renewal of accredited status.
The re-accreditation process requires an on-site assessment of the department once every three years. During this three-year period, the department submits annual compliance reports.
For more information on the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., please write the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia, 20155 or call (703) 352-4225.
Source: City of Grand Prairie
