A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), will arrive on Aug. 3, to examine all aspects of the Evesham Township Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services, Chief Christopher Chew, recently announced.
“Verification by the team that Evesham Township Police Department meets the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process of gaining accreditation, a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence” Chew said.
As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Monday, Aug. 4, at 6 p.m. The session will be conducted Conference Room A/B (second floor) at the Evesham Municipal Complex located at 984 Tuckerton Road.
If some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone. The public may call (856) 985–6026 on Monday, Aug. 4 between the hours of 1–3 p.m.
Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to ten minutes and must address the agency’ ability to comply with CALEA’ s standards. A copy of the standards is available for review at the Evesham Township Police Department, 984 Tuckerton Road. Members of the public can contact Captain Thomas Reinholt at (856) 985–4348 to review these standards.
Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Evesham Township Police Department’s standards for accreditation are requested to write: The Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 1375 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155.
The Evesham Township Police Department has to comply with over 460 standards in order to gain accreditation status.
“I welcome the arrival of the on-site assessment team and very much look forward to the detailed examination of departmental operations that will follow,” Chew said. “The accreditation process has been immensely valuable in identifying the best practices in law enforcement and providing the guidance necessary to allow us to refine police operations. Without question, we are better positioned to provide efficient and effective law enforcement serve, with greater accountability and less risk as a result of the process.”
Accreditation is for three years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.
For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. please write the Commission at 1375 Heathcote Blvd. Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155; or call (800) 368–3757 or (703) 352–4225 or e-mail calea@calea.org.
