Berlin PD Seeks Reaccreditation

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), were scheduled to arrive in town Sunday to review the Berlin Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services and determine whether the department should be reaccredited.

Verification by the team that the Berlin Police Department meets the commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation - a highly prized recognition of public safety professional excellence, Police Chief Paul Fitzgerald said.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16 in the town council chambers on the third floor of the Berlin Town Hall, 240 Kensington Rd.

If residents cannot attend the public session, they can still provide comments to the assessment team, by telephone. The pubic may call 1-860-828-7171 on Monday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Berlin Police Department. The Accreditation Manager for the Berlin Police Department is Lt. Chris Ciuci assisted by Sgt. Todd Lentini. They can be reached at 1-860-828-7080 or via email: cciuci@berlinpd.org or tlentini@berlinpd.org.

Written comments about the Berlin Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation may be submitted to: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA),13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, VA 20155.

The Berlin Police Department has to comply with 100% of the applicable mandatory standards and at least 80% of the non-mandatory standards in order to gain accredited status, according to Fitzgerald. The department is currently in compliance with all 317 mandatory standards and 77 of the 85 non-mandatory standards or 91%. The Berlin Police Department has been an internationally accredited agency since 1996 and is now seeking its sixth re-accreditation.

“Receiving accredited status by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies is an important achievement for our department,” Fitzgerald said. “Accreditation requires us to develop comprehensive, well thought out, and uniform policies and procedures. This is one of the most successful methods for reaching administrative and operational goals, while also providing direction to our personnel. Accreditation also limits the department’s liability and risk exposure because it demonstrates that internationally recognized standards for law enforcement have been met and verified by a team of independent outside CALEA trained assessors. Accreditation also facilitates our pursuit of professional excellence.

The CALEA Program Manager for the Berlin Police Department is Paul MacMillan who said that the assessment team is composed of public safety practitioners from out of state agencies including Powell, OH Police Chief Gary Vest and Burlington (NC) Police Chief Jeffrey Smythe.

Once the CALEA assessors complete their review of the agency, they will submit their report to the full Commission, which will then decide if the department is granted accredited status.