(New Castle, DE 19720) The New Castle County Division of Police was awarded national accreditation on November 13th, 2020 by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). the division was first accredited in 1988.
Following a multi-year self-assessment phase and a meticulous site-based assessment of community engagement, policy, procedures, equipment and facilities by CALEA assessors, each agency being reviewed, goes before CALEA’s 21-member Board of Commissioners where the commission reviews all findings and determines the agencies’ accreditation status.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the usual CALEA Conference, where agencies are formally reviewed and awarded in person, was taken online to a virtual format. On Friday November 13, 2020, the CALEA Commission voted to approve reaccreditation of the New Castle County Division of Police. CALEA President Anthony Purcell and Executive Director W. Craig Hartley, Jr. will formally award the division with accreditation, signifying excellence in public safety and commitment to community.
In 1979, the Commission was created through the combined efforts of four major law enforcement organizations; the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, National Sheriffs’ Association and the Police Executive Research Forum.
The purpose of the Commission is to develop standards based on international best practices in public safety, and to establish and administer the accreditation process. The accreditation process is how a public safety agency voluntarily demonstrates how it meets professionally recognized criteria for excellence in management and service delivery.
“This award of accreditation does not come easy,” said CALEA President Anthony Purcell, Chief of Police, University of Alabama at Birmingham Police Department. “Agencies must go through a rigorous review and evaluation of their organization and then implement the necessary policy and procedure changes. The process does not stop at that point. By voluntarily choosing to seek CALEA accreditation, the agency commits to an ongoing review of adherence to CALEA’s standards. Each community with CALEA accredited agencies should be feel confident that their public safety organization is going above and beyond and operating under the highest standards in public safety.
Colonel Vaughn M. Bond, Jr remarked, “I am very proud that the New Castle County Division of Police was awarded this, the Advanced Law Enforcement Re-Accreditation with Excellence. The process is very intense, and this is the second time in a row we have received this high honor. It shows our commitment to our communities in ensuring our policies and procedures are in line with the best practices in law enforcement. “
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