The St. Charles County Police Department has successfully completed the re-accreditation process designed to maintain international recognition for advanced law enforcement accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®). Accreditation is for a four-year period; the department initially was accredited in 2018.
“We are pleased to let the community know that we are accredited for another four years,” says St. Charles County Police Chief Kurt Frisz. “CALEA® is considered the gold standard in public safety because of its strict standards, and our officers are proud of our accreditation and re-accreditation. This is an incredible honor and reflects the dedication of the entire department.”
To be accredited, agencies must go through a rigorous review and evaluation of their organization and then implement necessary policy and procedure changes. By voluntarily choosing to seek CALEA® accreditation, the agency commits to an ongoing annual review of adherence to CALEA®’s standards.
According to CALEA®, the accreditation process is not to be viewed as an event that occurs once every review cycle; rather, as an on-going, quality performance review of the agency. A successful reaccreditation is contingent upon the agency's ability to demonstrate continued compliance with applicable standards during the period being reviewed. To achieve re-accreditation, the St. Charles County Police Department met 459 applicable “best practice” standards covering a broad range of areas.
“Our police department continues to serve our citizens well,” says County Executive Steve Ehlmann, “and this recognition is further proof. This strenuous, comprehensive evaluation process ensures that we continue to be the best we can be. My thanks to all the men and women in the St. Charles County Police Department for their tireless efforts to keep us all safe.”
CALEA® was established in 1979 by the four major law enforcement executive associations: International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA); and Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). The Commission was established in part to administer an accreditation process through which law enforcement agencies demonstrate they meet professionally recognized criteria for excellence.