Accreditation

Accreditation

On November 23, 1996, Chandler Police Department (CPD) became the seventh law enforcement agency in Arizona to be awarded accredited status by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Agencies are reassessed every three years, and CPD has achieved re-accreditation upon each subsequent assessment since its first. The most recent accreditation assessment for CPD occurred in 2008.

There are currently over 500 agencies accredited by CALEA in the United States and Canada. Accreditation is awarded to agencies upon demonstration of voluntary commitment to law enforcement excellence by living up to a body of standards deemed essential to the protection of the life, health, safety, and rights of the citizens it serves and exemplifying the best professional practices in the conduct
of its responsibilities.

The goals of CALEA 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; and
• Increase community and staff confidence in the agency.

Some of the many benefits which law enforcement accreditation brings to the citizens of Chandler include:

• Greater accountability within the agency;
• Reduced risk and liability exposure;
• Stronger defense against civil lawsuits;
• Staunch support from government officials; and
• Increased community advocacy.

Most of Chandler’s neighboring law enforcement agencies are accredited thus providing a common ground for clear communication regarding cooperation, policies, and procedures. Accreditation represents the best in law enforcement in North America.

If you have any questions regarding accreditation you may call 480-782-4113.