The Mt. Laurel Police Department was recognized for achieving Re-accreditation from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) at a public council meeting on Nov. 23.
This was the third time, representing nine years of meeting rigorous standards, that the Mt. Laurel Police Department received the distinguished honor of being accredited.
Harry Delgado, Accreditation Program Manager for the NJSACOP, presented Chief Dennis Cribben with the award certificate and credited the Mount Laurel Police Department for being among an elite group of law enforcement agencies, not only in New Jersey but Nationally.
Accreditation involves compliance with 105 standards that represent best practices accepted in law enforcement. Accredited agencies are better able to defend against law suits and citizen complaints; demonstrate a commitment to leadership, resource management, and service delivery; are more confident in operating efficiently; have a greater ability to meet community needs; and have adopted community orientated policies which creates an atmosphere of police and citizens working together to prevent and control challenges presented to law enforcement and provides a clear direction on community expectations. Of the over 500 law enforcement agencies in New Jersey eligible for accreditation, only 146 agencies achieved this honor, according to Delgado.
Delgado credited the Mt. Laurel Police Department with being the first law enforcement agency in New Jersey to complete the rigorous Accreditation process completely electronically. This puts Mt. Laurel at the forefront of all accredited law enforcement agencies in the state and serves as a model for all law enforcement. When the Michigan State Association of Chiefs of Police was looking for an accreditation model to bring back to the state of Michigan, the Mt. Laurel Police Department was presented as the agency to mirror.
“This honor was only achievable due to the extreme professionalism of every member of the Mt. Laurel Police Department and their commitment to serve our community to the greatest extent possible,” Cribben said.
