Accreditation Team Invites Public Comment Related to UA Police

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.  — As part of a voluntary accreditation assessment, employees of The University of Alabama Police Department and community members are invited to offer comments related to the department on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 2 p.m. in the Bryant Denny Stadium recruiting room on the UA campus.

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., or CALEA, will arrive Nov. 3 to examine all aspects of the UA Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services, said UA Police Chief Tim Summerlin. The public information session is part of the department’s on-site assessment.

Verification by the team that the UA Police Department meets the commission’s state‑of‑the‑art standards is part of the process in gaining and maintaining accreditation – a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence, Summerlin said.

“The University of Alabama’s Police Department has to comply with over 350 standards in order to maintain accredited status,” said Summerlin. “Maintaining accreditation demonstrates to the University community our agency’s commitment to providing professional services which meet the highest standards,” he said.

If an individual cannot attend the public information session but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, he or she may do so by telephone. The public may phone 205/347-0534 on Nov. 4 between the hours of 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Telephone comments and appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at the UA Police Department in the University Police Center.

The local contact is Major Aaron Fowler, 205/347-0531. Those wishing to offer written comments about the UA Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Va. 20155.

Fowler, the accreditation manager for UA’s Police Department, said the assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar, out‑of‑state, agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other places where compliance may be observed.

The assessors are:  Chief Michael Yaniero, Jacksonville (N.C.) Police Department, team leader; and Albert Oglesby, Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy.

Once the commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted reaccredited status, Fowler said.

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., write to them at  Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Va. 20155.