Law Enforcement Accreditation

 

 

 

ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE

 

 

The word “Accreditation” has always been associated with excellence.  The voluntary accreditation for law enforcement agencies is a joint effort of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., (CALEA), and four major law enforcement membership associations;

 

  • International Association of Chiefs of Police, (IACP)
  • National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, (NOBLE)
  • National Sheriff’s Association, (NSA)
  • Police Executive Research Forum, (PERF)

 

CALEA was formed in 1979 to establish a body of standards for Law Enforcement, (now in it’s 5th edition), designed to (1) increase law enforcement capabilities to prevent and control crime; (2) increase agency effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of law enforcement services; (3) increase cooperation and coordination with other law enforcement agencies and with other agencies of the criminal justice system; and (4) increase citizen and employee confidence in the goals, objectives, policies, and practices of the agency.  In addition, the Commission was formed to develop an accreditation process that provides law enforcement agencies an opportunity to demonstrate voluntarily that they meet an established set of professional standards.

 

The Brentwood Police Department is recognized as being a pioneer of accredited agencies in the state of Tennessee.  Accreditation is a continuous process.  Agencies were initially on a five year cycle, but this has since changed to a three year cycle, whereas the agency must prove to the Commission that they are continuing to maintain compliance with the National standards set forth for Law Enforcement.  The Brentwood Police Department was initially accredited in 1989 and appeared before the Commission in Houston, Texas.  The Brentwood Police Department became the first agency in the state of Tennessee to achieve "re-accredited" status in 1994 before the Commission in San Francisco, California.  Other awards received from the Commission came in 1999 in Las Vegas, Nevada, 2002 in Portland, Oregon, and 2005 in Nashville, Tennessee.  The Brentwood Police Department continues to be the most senior agency in the state of Tennessee involved in the Accreditation process.

Upon receiving the most recent award in November of 2005 in Nashville, Tennessee, the Brentwood Police Department was recognized by CALEA as the first agency in Tennessee to receive the "Meritorious Award" for being involved in the process for a minimum of 15 years.  The Brentwood Police Department will seek its sixth award in November 2008 when it is scheduled to appear before the Commission in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  The Brentwood Police Department is committed to this process and proud to maintain this "Excellence in Law Enforcement".