Burlington Police Re-Accredited By State Group

BURLINGTON, MA — The Burlington Police Department was re-accredited by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission earlier this month, the Department said Wednesday.

The Department was first accredited by the state group in 2008 and has been re-accredited five times since. The MPAC is a non-profit, not a government body.

Assessors from the Commission visited in January to examine the Department's compliance with the accreditation standards.

"The process is a voluntary evaluation by which police departments strive to meet and maintain the top standards of law enforcement," the Department said in a release. "It is considered the best measure for a police department to compare itself against the established best practices around the country and region."

“We’ve been honored to receive this designation over the past 12 years as a sign of our dedication to offering the highest quality services possible for our residents,” Chief Michael Kent said in a statement. “Thank you to Deputy Chief [Thomas] Browne for his work and leadership through the accreditation process. MPAC sets high standards for police departments throughout the state to adhere to, and I couldn’t be more proud of the hard work the men and women of the Burlington Police Department do each day to meet these standards.”

The MPAC has 257 mandatory standards and 125 optional ones, of which departments must meet at least 60.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.