The Noblesville Police Department has been awarded national re-accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA). A highly prized recognition of professional excellence in the field of law enforcement, being re-accredited means the Noblesville Police Department is in compliance with more than 189 professional standards established by CALEA.
“CALEA accreditation has served to demonstrate the agency’s on-going commitment to excellence and increasing public value through high quality service to our community,” said Noblesville Police Chief Kevin Jowitt.
A team of CALEA assessors conducted an on-site visit in March to examine all aspects of the Noblesville Police Department including policies and procedures, management, operations and support services. During the on-site, the law enforcement practitioners from similar but out-of-state agencies spoke to several local residents as well as community leaders throughout their visit, observed procedures, and visited offices and places where compliance can be witnessed before forwarding their on-site evaluation and findings to CALEA. The department was subjected to two more reviews, including an official CALEA Commissioners Committee Review at the Grand Rapids conference on July 28.
According to the Noblesville Police Department, receiving CALEA re-accreditation exhibits its commitment to meeting the highest standards of law enforcement excellence by continually demonstrating the “best practices and procedures” recognized internationally within the law enforcement profession.
“CALEA accreditation continues to provide value to the department by insuring strong internal review and accountability throughout our operational and administrative activities. The accreditation process allows the members of the Noblesville Police Department, as well as the members of the community, to be confident that the policies and procedures that guide the agency are based on current, effective and equitable best practices in policing.” Jowitt said.
NPD was first accredited for a three-year period in 2015. During that time, the department submitted annual reports attesting to the continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited. 2018 marks the first re-accreditation process for Noblesville, which is good for four years.
The goal of CALEA is to strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities; formalize essential management procedures; establish fair and non-discriminatory personnel practices; improve service delivery; solidify interagency cooperation and coordination; and increase community and staff confidence in the agency. For more information regarding CALEA, visit calea.org.