Accreditation Assessment Team Invites Public Comment
CONTACT: Chief Roland LaCroix
Police Department
ORONO – An assessor from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), will arrive on Saturday, Feb. 26 to examine all aspects of the University of Maine Police Department policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services, Chief Roland LaCroix announced today.
Verification by the team that the UMaine 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 via telephone or Facebook at the public information session on Sunday, Feb. 27 from 3-5 p.m.. Those wishing to offer comments may do so by calling (207) 581-9426.
Comments may be posted via the Department’s Facebook page at University of Maine Police Department. Please make your post on the Notes tab.
Telephone comments are limited to ten minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA Standards. A copy of the standards is available in the chief’s office. Local contact is Lt. Paul Paradis, (207) 581-3387.
Persons wishing to offer written comments about the UMaine Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for recognition are requested to write to: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA®) 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155. (703) 352-4225 FAX (703) 890-3126.
The University of Maine Police Department has to comply with 112 national standards in order to gain recognition status from an upcoming CALEA assessment.
“Having our policies and procedures recognized by CALEA helps ensure the quality of service that we provide to our community and demonstrates that UMPD is a professional agency that operates under nationally recognized law enforcement standards,” LaCroix noted.
The CALEA Program Manager for the UMaine Police Department is Paradis, who serves as training and development manager. He said the assessment team is composed of a public safety practitioner from a similar, but out-of-state agency. The assessor will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other locations where compliance can be witnessed.
The assessor is Chief Paul Willingham, University of Houston Clear Lake, Houston, Tex.
Once the CALEA Assessor completes the review of the agency, he reports back to the full commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted recognition status, according to Paradis.
Recognition 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 to the Commission at 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155 (703) 352-4225 FAX (703) 890-3126; or call (800) 368-3757 or (703) 352-4225 or www@calea.org.