Chesterfield Police Seek International Accreditation

CHESTERFIELD, MO — The Chesterfield Police Department is seeking its fifth reaccreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, an international credentialing authority that sets a series of professional standards law enforcement agencies must meet in order to join.

The commission was created in 1979 by four founding member organizations: The International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriff's Association, and the Police Executive Research Forum.

Only about half of American police departments are accredited, according to CALEA, a number that decreases with the size of the department.

"This is a three-year process during which the police department must adhere to strict international guidelines of policing and organizational practices," the Chesterfield Police Department explained in a press release.

Those guidelines include rules on when and how to use force, conduct searches and respect citizens' rights; standards for how employees are treated; how the department should be structured and organized; fiscal management; disciplinary procedures; and reporting and crime analysis standards, among an extensive list.

CALEA says those standards help law enforcement agencies strengthen crime prevention efforts, establish fair personnel practices, boost inter-agency cooperation efforts, and build stronger relationships with citizens.

During the first week of April, CALEA assessors from the Arapahoe County, Arizona, Sheriff's Office and the Burlington, North Carolina, Police Department will be in Chesterfield to verify the department's compliance with the organization's standards.

Citizens are invited to provide the assessors with feedback at a public hearing scheduled for 5 p.m. April 2 at the City of Chesterfield Council Chambers, located at 690 Chesterfield Parkway West. A dedicated phone line will also be available from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on April 2 for citizen comments. Anyone wanting to voice an opinion on the Chesterfield Police Department should call 636-537-6745 during that time. Written comments can also be submitted to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc., 13575 Healthcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia 20155.

Anyone wishing to share their comments on the Chesterfield Police Department with Patch are also invited to do so, and we will publish them as part of a follow-up story.

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