(New Castle, DE 19720)— Site-based assessor(s) from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), will arrive August 5, 2024, to examine all aspects of the New Castle County Division of Police policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services, Colonel Bloch announced today.

Verification by the assessor(s) that New Castle County Division of Police meets the Commission’s comprehensive 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 assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information public access portal posted at: https://www.newcastlede.gov/2590/CALEA-Accreditation

If for some reason an individual cannot access the portal but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by writing to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA®), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155 or email calea@calea.org.

A copy of the standards is available by contacting: Rhonda L. Burns, Police Accreditation Coordinator, 302-395-8001.

The New Castle County Division of Police has to comply with 375 standards in order to gain accredited status.

Accreditation is for four years, during which the agency must submit agency status reports and participate in annual remote web-based assessments attesting continued compliance with the standards.

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; or call (703) 352-4225 or email calea@calea.org.