CALEA On-Site Assessment and Public Information Hearing

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), will be in Frederick April 20 – 24, 2009 to examine all aspects of the Frederick Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services, Chief Kim Dine announced today.

CALEA was created in 1979 to develop a set of law enforcement standards and to establish and administer an accreditation process through which law enforcement agencies could demonstrate voluntarily that they meet professionally and nationally -recognized criteria for excellence in management and service delivery.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session Wednesday April 22, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. The session will be conducted in CBA Community Room at C. Burr Artz Public Library, 110 East Patrick Street, Frederick, Maryland.

If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session, but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone. The public may call (301) 600-2131 on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 between the hours of 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. and speak to the members of the assessment team.

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 can be viewed at the Frederick Police Department’s Accreditation Office located at 100 West Patrick Street. For those with additional questions, please contact Dana Kelly, Accreditation Coordinator at 301-600-2136 or Lieutenant Dennis Dudley, Professional Services Division Commander at 301-600-1206.

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Frederick Police Department’s ability to meet the standards set for accreditation are requested to write to: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 10306 Eaton Place, Suite 320, Fairfax, VA 22030-2201.

The CALEA on-site assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar but out-of-state agencies. The assessment team is comprised of the following individuals: Scott A. Cunningham, team leader, Chief of Police, Winston-Salem Police Department, Winston-Salem, NC; Bradley E. Biller, Lieutenant, Bowling Green Police Division, Bowling Green, OH; and Ms. Linda C. DeArman, Administrative Programs Officer, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Oklahoma City, OK. The assessors will review written materials, interview departmental personnel and conduct site visits. They will examine all Department policy and procedures, management, administration, operations, and personnel structure and process for compliance with CALEA standards.

Once the CALEA Assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited/ recognition status.

Accreditation / Recognition is for three years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. please write the Commission at 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030-2215; or call (800) 368-3757 or (703) 352-4225 or email calea@calea.org.