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The re-accreditation is the culmination of a process that Col. Rick Fuentes, State Police superintendent described as every bit as tough as the initial award obtained in 2007.
CALEA was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the efforts of law enforcement's major executive associations: International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriff's Association, and the Police Executive Research Forum.
The 21 CALEA commissioners are appointed by the four founding law enforcement organizations. Eleven are law enforcement officers with the remaining selected from both the public and private sectors, including representation from the business community, academia, and the judiciary.
The purpose of accreditation is to improve public safety services by strengthening crime prevention, formalizing essential management procedures, establishing fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices, improving service delivery, solidifying interagency cooperation, and increasing community confidence.The accrediting includes an on-site inspection from a nationally assembled team of assessors. The assessors examined files, conducted interviews, inspected facilities and hosted a public call in session.
"Yesterday's best practices in policing are always being replaced by more effective procedures,'' Fuentes said. "These become the current standards that CALEA demands of all who receive their accreditation. It's like hitting a target that's always moving upward."
To remain accredited, the State Police submits yearly reports to CALEA, maintains files proving compliance with standards, and undergoes agency inspections from assessors.
– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
