The Pinecrest Police Department was awarded accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) on July 31, 2004.
CALEA was established as an independent accrediting authority in 1979 by the four major law enforcement membership associations: International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); National Sheriffs' Association (NSA); and Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). The Executive Directors of these four associations appoint members to the Commission annually; an endorsement requires a majority vote for each appointment.
The Commission has 21 members; 11 members are law enforcement practitioners; the remaining 10 members are selected from the public and private sectors. Commissioners are appointed to a term of three years. The position of Commissioner is voluntary and receives no salary.
CALEA maintains a small, professional staff managed by an Executive Director. The staff conducts all administrative and operational duties as directed by the Commission.
CALEA produces a newsletter and offers workshops to explain the accreditation process and standards during the Commission Conference held three times annually.
Standards:
-role, responsibilities, and relationships with other agencies
-organization, management and administration
-personnel structure
-personnel process
-operations
-operational support
-traffic operations
-prisoner and court-related activities
-auxiliary and technical services
Goals:
-strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities
-formalize essential management procedures
-establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices
-improve service-delivery
-solidify interagency cooperation and coordination
-boost citizen and staff confidence in the agency
Compliance:
Agencies that seek accreditation are required to comply only with those standards that are specifically applicable to them. Applicability is based on two factors: an agency's size and the functions it performs. Applicable standards are categorized as mandatory or other-than-mandatory. Agencies must comply with all applicable mandatory standards and 80% of applicable other-than-mandatory standards. If an agency cannot comply with a standard because of legislation, labor agreements, court orders, or case law, waivers can be sought from the Commission.
