A team of assessors from the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will arrive January 7, 2018 to examine all aspects of the Emporia Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services announced Chief Ricky A. Pinksaw.  These include areas such as:  Communications, traffic enforcement, investigations, critical incidents, property and evidence, and even internal human resources.

Verification by the assessment team that the Emporia Police Department meets the Commissioner’s state-of-the-art standard is part of a voluntary process for initial advanced accreditation – a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.  This is the Emporia Police Department’s initial advanced accreditation.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Monday January 8, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.  The session will be conducted in the City Council Chambers located at 201 South Main Street in Emporia.

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 and speak with a CALEA assessor on Monday January 8, 2018 between the hours of 1:00 p.m. through 3:00 p.m.  The public may call (434) 532-3408 and your call will be answered by one of the CALEA assessors.

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 standards.  A copy of the standards is available at the Emporia Police Department at 310 Budd Street, Emporia.

The Accreditation Manager and contact is Lieutenant David Shidell at (434) 634-2121.  Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Emporia Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for advanced accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA)  13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155; or e-mail the commission at www.calea.org and place the agency’s name in the subject line and make your comments.

The Emporia Police Department has to comply with 484 standards to achieve advanced accreditation, according to Chief Pinksaw.  By voluntarily submitting ourselves to the accreditation process, we are assuring the community and ourselves that we are providing police services while practicing best practices through CALEA’s international standards. 

Only a small percentage of all law enforcement agencies are CALEA accredited, so this step assures the community that our department and officers are providing the highest quality service to the citizens of Emporia.  Chief Pinksaw stated; “This is just not the Police Department’s accreditation, but it is the Community’s Accreditation.”  Also, Chief Pinksaw wanted to give recognition and thanks to three former police chiefs whose efforts have led the Emporia Police Department to this point: Chiefs Elmer Grizzard, the late Pete Daughtry and Bernard Richardson.

The Emporia Police Department Accreditation Manager, Lieutenant David Shidell, will serve as the liaison with the CALEA assessors and the Department while the assessment team is on location.  The team is comprised of two individuals who both have long careers in law enforcement including extensive knowledge of the accreditation process.  The assessment team will consist of:

Randy Nichols, Retired Chief of Police of the Pitt County Memorial Hospital Police Department, Greenville, North Carolina

Charles Groover, Lieutenant of the Covington Police Department, Covington, Georgia.

Once the 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 status at the next scheduled CALEA conference in March 2018 in Frisco, Texas.

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., please write the commission at 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 329 Gainesville, Virginia 20155; or call (703) 352-4225.  The commission can also be found on the internet at www.calea.org.