A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies will be in Midland starting next week for the Midland Police Department's triennial re-accreditation process.
Assessors will arrive Monday, July 13 to examine all aspects of MPD's policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services. This voluntary process will find if the department meets CALEA's (pronounced cah-LEE-ah) state-of the art standards for re-accreditation, which MPD has earned six consecutive times since its original accreditation in 1993. The accreditation is a highly-prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.
As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are also invited to offer comments at a session at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14 in the City Hall Council Chambers, located at 300 N. Loraine.
If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session, but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, the public may call 432-685-7594 on between 3 and 5 p.m. on July 14.
The assessment team is generally composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar, but out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other places where compliance can be witnessed. Assessors for MPD this year will be retired Captain John Foster from the Florissant Police Department in Florissant, Mo. and Captain Michael Bentolila from the Aventura Police Department in Aventura, Fla.
“Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if our agency is to be granted accredited status,” said MPD Chief Price Robinson.
Accreditation lasts for a period of three years, during which MPD must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.
More information on the accreditation process and CALEA can be found at www.calea.org
###Media Contact: Police Chief Price Robinson