What is Accreditation:
Accreditation is a progressive and contemporary way of helping police agencies evaluate and improve their overall performance. It provides formal recognition that an organization meets or exceeds general expectations of quality in the field. Accreditation acknowledges the implementation of policies that are conceptually sound and operationally effective.
The New York State program became operational in 1989 and encompasses four principle goals:
- To increase the effectiveness and efficiency of law enforcement agencies utilizing existing personnel, equipment and facilities to the extent possible;
- To promote increased cooperation and coordination among law enforcement agencies and other agencies of the criminal justice services;
- To ensure the appropriate training of law enforcement personnel; and
To promote public confidence in law enforcement agencies.
The Accreditation Program is comprised of a set of standards developed to further enhance the capabilities of an agency, and is divided into three categories. Standards in the Administrative section have provisions for such topics as agency organization, fiscal management, personnel practices, and records management. Training standards encompass basic and in-service instruction, as well as training for supervisors and specialized or technical assignments. Operations standards deal with such critical and litigious topics as high-speed pursuits, roadblocks, patrol, and unusual occurrences.
Out of over 500 agencies in NYS there are only 160 agencies that are accredited. The Brockport Police Department has been accredited since 2004. There are currently 110 standards that are required to become and remain an accredited agency.
Benefits:
The New York State Law Enforcement Accreditation Program enables administrators to strengthen existing procedures while simultaneously creating a solid foundation for the agency’s future. The benefits of accreditation include:
- Independent confirmation that policies comply with professional standards
- Assurance of fair recruitment, selection and promotion processes
- Diminished vulnerability to civil law suits and costly settlements
- Enhanced understanding by agency personnel of agency policies and procedures
- Greater administrative and operational effectiveness
- Greater public confidence in the agency
- In the final analysis, the impact of the Accreditation Program stems from the profound commitment that New York law enforcement executives have made to professionalism and from their desire to provide the best possible services to the communities that they serve
