Law Enforcement Accreditation provides an opportunity for the Wilkesboro Police Department to demonstrate voluntarily that it meets professionally-recognized criteria for excellence in management and service-delivery. The Wilkesboro Police Department has begun the five steps in the law enforcement accreditation process. Law enforcement accreditation is a voluntary compliance with a set of national standards for law enforcement established by the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Step I was completed with the application and Agency Profile Questionnaire. The Agency Profile Questionnaire provides qualifying information to The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. The Wilkesboro Police Department is currently in Step II; which is agency Self-Assessment that involves a thorough internal examination by the agency to determine whether it complies with all applicable standards. The remaining steps are On-Site Assessment, Commission Review, and Maintaining Compliance and Reaccreditation.

The process is much like accreditation for colleges and universities and for medical institutions requiring adherence to standards of performance that prescribe "what" agencies should be doing, but not "how" they should be doing it. That decision is left up to our agency and the Chief of Police.

The standards were developed to help law enforcement agencies achieve the following:

• Increase agency capabilities to prevent and control crime
• Enhance agency effectiveness and efficiency
• Improve cooperation and coordination with other law enforcement agencies and with other components of the criminal justice system
• Increase citizen and staff confidence in the goals, objectives, policies, and practices of the agency

There are a wide variety of both direct and intangible benefits the Department receives in its association with this management tool. A few are described here:

• Controlled liability exposure
• Greater accountability
• Increased community advocacy
• Improved employee morale

To receive additional information about accreditation, please contact Lieutenant Jason Delbert at (336) 667-7277 or send an Email to Accreditation Manager. You may also learn more about the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies by visiting their website here.