Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – The Arkansas State University Police Department (UPD) was awarded national accreditation on July 25 by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) in the Law Enforcement program. The agency was first accredited in 2012.

Following a multi-year self-assessment phase and a meticulous site-based assessment of community engagement, policies, procedures, equipment, and facilities by CALEA assessors, Randy Martin, A-State police chief; Billy Branch, captain; and Haylee Chambers, corporal, attended the CALEA conference in Omaha, Neb.

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Each agency under review goes before CALEA’s 21-member Board of Commissioners, which reviews all findings and determines the agency’s accreditation status.  

Following the hearing during the celebration banquet, Matthew Packard, CALEA president, and Craig Hartley, executive director, awarded UPD with accreditation, signifying excellence in public safety and commitment to community.

This is the police department’s fifth award of national accreditation. They continue into CALEA’s four-year accreditation cycle that includes four annual remote, web-based file reviews and a site-based assessment in the fourth year.

“Accreditation is a voluntary process our agency proudly participates in, providing A-State and the Jonesboro community with the best police services possible. Our team of law enforcement professionals continually strive to adhere to the highest standards of professionally recognized public safety service delivery,” said Chief Martin.

The Commission was created in 1979 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. Agencies must go through a rigorous review and evaluation of their organization and then implement the necessary policy and procedure changes,” said Packard. “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 feel confident that their public safety organization is going above and beyond and operating under the highest standards in public safety.”

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