Accreditation TrainingAccreditation Training

Accreditation Manager Eric WattersMiramar Police Department

Who Are We Accredited By?Who Are We Accredited By?• Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement

Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®)• Initial accreditation 1996• Last on-site assessment April 2005• Next on-site assessment August 2008

• Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA)• Initial accreditation 1998• Last on-site assessment November 2007• Next on-site assessment November 2010

The History of CALEAThe History of CALEA• Created in 1979 through the combined

efforts of:1. International Association of Chief’s of Police

(IACP)2. National Organization of Black Law

Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)3. National Sheriff’s Association (NSA)4. Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)

• Funded through accreditation fees

The History of CFAThe History of CFA• In 1993, Florida Statute 943.125 directed that

the Florida Sheriffs Association and the Florida Police Chiefs Association create a voluntary law enforcement accreditation program.

• CFA is a not-for-profit organization• Day-to-day operations are run by private staff• The Commission is comprised of sheriff’s , chief’s

of police, representatives from local government, and the judiciary.

CALEA StandardsCALEA StandardsThe standards cover (in-part):• L.E. Role, Responsibilities & Relationships• Organization, Management, & Administration• The Personnel Structure• The Personnel Process• Law Enforcement Operations• Operations Support• Traffic Operations• Auxiliary & Technical Services

CFA StandardsCFA StandardsThe standards cover (in-part):• Authority• Training• Selection• Civilian Promotion• Performance Evaluations• Patrol• Investigations• Traffic and Direction Control• Auxiliary Members

Benefits for the AgencyBenefits for the Agency• Greater accountability within the agency• Reduced risk and liability exposure• Stronger defense against civil lawsuits• Assessment of agency readiness and status• Process for identifying redundancies• Solicits staunch support from government

officials• Increased community advocacy

Benefits for Agency MembersBenefits for Agency Members• Clearly defined lines of authority• Consistency in operational procedures• “Best Practice” standards in public service• Ongoing awareness of advancements in

the profession• Defense against litigation

The Accreditation ProcessThe Accreditation Process• Voluntary• Standards offer guidance, not mandates• Must be reaccredited every three years• Proof of compliance with the standards is

determined by an assessment team which conducts an on-site review of the agency's policies, procedures, and practices

• Assessors are all trained law enforcement practitioners

Compliance RequirementsCompliance Requirements• CALEA• 459 total standards• 111 Other than mandatory standards

• Must show compliance with 80%• 348 Mandatory standards

• Must show compliance with 100%• Except Not applicable standards

• By function or by size

Compliance Requirements Compliance Requirements (cont’d)(cont’d)

• CFA• 81 Comparative Compliance standards• 29 Other than mandatory standards

• Must comply with 80%• 52 Mandatory standards

• Must show 100% compliance• Except Not Applicable standards

How Do We Prove Compliance?How Do We Prove Compliance?• Written documentation

• Reports• Memoranda• Analyses and audits• Publications• Training materials and files, etc.

• Interviews• Agency and non-agency personnel• Public Hearing and call-in sessions, etc.

• Observations• Photographs• Ride alongs• Static displays and tours• Roll call attendance, etc.

On-site AssessmentOn-site Assessment• CALEA• Three days• Three Assessors

• All from out-of-state• CFA• One day• Two Assessors

• From other regions in the state

On-site Assessment ScheduleOn-site Assessment Schedule• Entrance interview

• With Chief, Command Staff, and anyone else the Chief wants

• File Review• Phone in session• Staff interviews• Community meeting• Exit interview

• All personnel are invited to attend

Important things to Remember Important things to Remember About the On-siteAbout the On-site

• Assessors will choose random people to do ride-alongs with and random times in which to do them• They have been known to request ride-alongs the night before

the assessment is scheduled to begin• The Assessors will wander the halls and out-lying

facilities, and may come to your area to inspect it or look for additional information• Keep yourself, your office, and your vehicles clean and

organized• Be prepared to answer questions and give additional “paper”

proofs (e.g., access to files)• Remember, I don’t know is an acceptable answer, but

find out the answer and get back to them with it or direct them to who would have the answer

Accreditation TrainingAccreditation Training

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