ACCPD invites public comment as it seeks re-accreditation

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department will host its eleventh virtual on-site assessment by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) on March 28-30. The CALEA assessors conducting the review will examine all aspects of the Department, including its policies, procedures, management and operations, to verify it meets CALEA’s high standards for public safety law enforcement and remains committed to professional excellence.

As part of the virtual on-site assessment, members of the public are encouraged to contact CALEA with any comments about the Police Department’s quality of service and/or its ability to meet CALEA law enforcement standards. These standards may be viewed at ACCPD headquarters, 3035 Lexington Road.

Public comments about the Athens-Clarke County Police Department may be submitted in writing and mailed directly to CALEA at 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia 20155; by telephone during the virtual on-site assessment; or during a virtual public information session with the CALEA assessors. Telephone calls to 762-400-7005 will be answered by a virtual on-site assessor on March 29, between 1 and 3 p.m. Comments made by telephone will be limited to 10 minutes and must address the performance of ACCPD. The virtual public information session will be conducted by both virtual and on-site assessors on March 29 in the Community Room of police headquarters.

Comments made in writing, by telephone, or in person will be reviewed by the CALEA Commission, in addition to the results of all standards compliance inspections and interviews, during the November 16-19, 2022 CALEA Conference in St Louis, MO. The department’s voluntary participation in the CALEA accreditation process, which includes annual reviews and a four-year audit to ensure continued compliance with CALEA standards, is one of many ways the department demonstrates its commitment to excellence.

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department earned its CALEA accreditation in 1987. Re-accreditation will be for four years during which the ACCPD's leadership must submit annual reports and files for review to demonstrate continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

For information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., write the commission at 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA, 20155, visit them on the Web at www.calea.org; or call 1-703-352- 4225.