Smithfield Police Department Receives Accreditation

SMITHFIELD, RI — The Smithfield Police Department received the department's seventh accreditation certificate from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.

Smithfield police said that on March 20, days after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Chief Richard P. St.Sauveur, Jr. and Deputy Chief Eric Dolan appeared before a "virtual hearing committee" for a final review of the agency's accredited status withCALEA.

Chief St. Sauveur and Deputy Chief Dolan were originally scheduled to appear "live" before a hearing committee at the CALEA Conference in Orlando, FL. Out of an abundance of caution, that conference was canceled due to the COVID-19 crisis.

On March 21, Chief St. Sauveur received notice that CALEA Commissioners voted to approve the

Smithfield Police Department's re-accredited status.

The police department received its initial accreditation certificate from CALEA back in 2001. St. Sauveur was a sergeant at the time and was the agency's accreditation manager. Deputy Chief Dolan served as the accreditation manager for the most recent four-year accreditation cycle, and will continue to serve in this capacity.

Smithfield police said maintaining accredited status with CALEA is extremely important to the agency and the community it serves. In addition to requiring that the Smithfield Police Department provides guidance to its personnel through policies and written directives, the CALEA model ensures that the agency is properly equipped, trained, and that appropriate inspections occur throughout an accreditation cycle.

The agency's next appearance before CALEA will be in 2024.