Law Enforcement Accreditation

Spartanburg Public Safety Law Enforcement was awarded National Accreditation on March 20, 1999 by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).  The department is also recognized as an accredited agency with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation Council (SCLEA) and is a member of the South Carolina Police Accreditation Coalition.  Proof that compliance to national standards has been maintained is required to CALEA every three years.  A mandatory review of all aspects of our department and personnel was most recently conducted during December 8 – 12, 2007.  A team comprised of three assessors from three different states traveled to Spartanburg to conduct our review.  The final decision on granting the department re-accreditation was rendered on March 15, 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia, at which time administration and the accreditation manager went before a CALEA Review Committee.

 
A few of the projects currently being conducted or discussed as the department prepares for our next scheduled CALEA re-assessment to be conducted in December 2010 are:

1. Reviewing departmental policies and procedures and making revisions as needed
2. Updating the department’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan
3. Reviewing files containing standard compliance documentation
4. Conducting departmental staff inspections and analysis of victim’s services
5. Conducting a Community Survey, results of which will be posted on the department’s web page

Accreditation Program Information

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., (CALEA®) was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of law enforcement's major executive associations:

• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
• National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
• National Sheriffs' Association (NSA)
• Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)

The purpose of CALEA’s Accreditation Programs is to improve the delivery of public safety services, primarily by: maintaining a body of standards, developed by public safety practitioners, covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initiatives; establishing and administering an accreditation process; and recognizing professional excellence.

Specifically, CALEA’s goals are to:

• Strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities
• Formalize essential management procedures
• Establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices
• Improve service delivery
• Solidify interagency cooperation and coordination
• Increase community and staff confidence in the agency

For more information on accreditation see http://www.calea.org/.