What is Accreditation?
An accreditation program has long been recognized as a means of maintaining the highest standards of professionalism.
Accreditation is the certification by an independent reviewing authority that an entity has met specific requirements and prescribed standards. Schools, universities, and hospitals are some of the most well known organizations that are required to maintain accreditation. Law enforcement agencies in New Jersey can now attain accredited status through the NJSACOP Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission.
Accreditation is a progressive and time-proven way of helping law enforcement agencies calculate and improve their overall performances. Participating agencies conduct a thorough self-analysis to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet these objectives. When the procedures are in place, a team of trained assessors verifies that applicable standards have been successfully implemented.
Accreditation status represents a significant professional achievement. Accreditation acknowledges the implementation of policies and procedures that are conceptually sound and operationally effective.
Benefits of Accreditation
The benefits of accreditation are many and will vary from agency to agency. Some of the more common benefits of accreditation are listed below.
To the Community
Accreditation increases the law enforcement agency’s ability to prevent and control crime through more effective and efficient delivery of law enforcement services to the community it serves.
Accreditation enhances community understanding of the law enforcement agency and its role in the community as well as its goals and objectives. Citizen confidence in the policies and practices of the agency is increased.
Accreditation, in conjunction with the philosophy of community policing, commits the agency to a broad range of programs (such as crime prevention) that directly benefit the public.
Accreditation creates a forum in which police and citizens work together to control and prevent crime. The partnership will help citizens to understand the challenges that confront law enforcement. Law enforcement will, in turn, receive clear direction from the community about its expectations. Thus, a common set of goals and objectives will be arrived at and implemented.
To the Chief/Sheriff
Increases cooperation and coordination with other law enforcement agencies and other branches of the criminal justice system.
The accreditation process requires an in-depth review of every aspect of the agency’s organization, management, operations, and administration to include:
- • Establishment of agency goals and objectives with provisions for periodic updating;
- • Re-revaluation of whether agency resources are
being used in accord with agency goals, objectives and mission;
- • Re-revaluation of agency policies and procedures, especially as documented in the agency’s written directive system;
- • Correction of internal deficiencies and inefficiencies before they become public problems;
- • The opportunity to re-organize without the appearance of personal attacks.The accreditation standards provide norms against which agency performance can be measured and monitored over time.
Accreditation provides the agency with a continuous flow of Commission distributed information about exemplary policies, procedures and projects.
Accreditation provides objective measures to justify decisions related to budget requests and personnel policies.
Accreditation serves as a yardstick to measure the effectiveness of the agency’s programs and services. The services provided are defined, and uniformity of service is assured.
Accreditation streamlines operations, providing more consistency and more effective deployment agency manpower.
To the Officers
Accreditation requires that agency policies and procedures are in written form and are available to all agency personnel at all times.
Accreditation assures employees that every aspect of the agency’s personnel system is in accord with professional standards, and that the system is both fair and equitable.
The agency is compelled to operate within specific guidelines. It is accountable to the Commission. The agency must stay in compliance with the standards set forth by the Commission in order to retain its accreditation.
The morale of the agency is enhanced by increasing the employees’ confidence in the effectiveness and efficiency of their own agency. Operations become more streamlined and consistent.
Accreditation policies address officer safety issues and provide for adequate training and equipment of the officers.
Accreditation is a coveted award that symbolizes professionalism, excellence and competence. Employees will take pride in their agency, knowing that it represents the very best in law enforcement.
Program Development
The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police has developed this law enforcement accreditation program, modeled after the national accreditation program and other state-level accreditation programs, which requires compliance with a series of professional standards designed specifically forNew Jerseylaw enforcement agencies. These standards are practical and easily understood, and achievable even for the smallest law enforcement agency. The program is designed with consideration for the following goals:
- • To establish and maintain standards that represent current professional law enforcement practices;
- • To increase effectiveness and efficient in the delivery of law enforcement services;
- • To establish standards that address and reduce liability for the agency and its members;
- • To provideNew Jerseyagencies with a recognition of excellence, accountability, and an opportunity to receive insurance premium discounts in relation to such an achievement;
- • To establish standards that make an agency and its personnel accountable to the constituency they serve; and
- • To implement aNew Jerseyaccreditation program that establishes standards which do not conflict with national standards.
Program Overview
The Standards
The standards to be used in this program have been selected by the Accreditation Commission (a NJSACOP Committee) based primarily upon CALEA national standards andNew Jerseystatutory and regulatory law.
The development of department policy is the most significant duty of Chiefs of Police. Therefore, this program’s Standards Manual contains no mandatory policies and procedures. The standards developed by the program are only guidelines of what should be done, not how it should be done. The standards address (1) life, health and safety issues,(2) legal and other critical requirements, and (3) conditions that reduce major risk and high liability exposures.
Accreditation standards address a variety of issues, some of which include:
- Use of Force, Authority and Jurisdiction
- Recruitment, Selection and Promotion of Personnel
- Training, Discipline and Internal Affairs
- Patrol and Criminal Investigations
- Victim/Witness Assistance
- Traffic Operations
- Prisoner Transportation and Holding Facilities
- Records and Communications
- Collection and Preservation of Evidence
- Property and Evidence Control
Naturally, all policies developed for the program standards have been developed in conformance to applicableNew Jerseylaw and regulations. During the standards review and development process for state accreditation, each national standard was evaluated by the Commission. Through this process, those standards which are most relevant and applicable to law enforcement in the State ofNew Jerseywere specifically chosen and included in theNew Jerseyaccreditation program.
Policies on many topics may be very similar among most agencies. On the other hand, policies dealing with other topics may vary greatly. Policy development that complies with the program standards, however, remains dependent on the judgment of the chief executive of the law enforcement agency.
Eligibility
All New Jerseylaw enforcement agencies are eligible for accreditation under these standards. Accreditation is good for 3 years. Agencies must be re-accredited every 3 years thereafter.
Training
The NJSACOP will arrange to provide substantive training opportunities for both agency Accreditation Managers and the program’s Assessors.
Process
The accreditation process entails eight (8) phases. These phases are: Application, Self-Assessment, Policy Development, Mock Assessment, Commission On-Site
Assessment, Public Hearing, Commission Review, Awards Ceremony, as well as
Re-Accreditation.
CALEA Alliance
The NJSACOP has become the fourth partner to enter into an Alliance Agreement with CALEA® establishing the NJLEAC/CALEA® Recognition Program. Under such anAllianceagencies completingNew Jerseyaccreditation may choose CALEA® Recognition as an option.
