A press release from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office:
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Seeks Public Safety Communications Accreditation
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies offers accreditation programming in the areas of Law Enforcement, Public Safety Training Academy, Public Safety Communications, and Campus Security.
Bill Prim
Although these are distinct programs that effectively serve stand-alone organizations, there are circumstances where a public safety agency may be able to leverage the work in one program to address the requirements of another.
This is limited to organizations like the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office that have acquired advanced accreditation in Law Enforcement and are now seeking accreditation in Public Safety Communications so long as they meet the enrollment criteria.
The Sheriff’s Office was awarded Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation July 26, 2014.
The standards upon which the Public Safety Communications Accreditation Program is based reflect the current thinking and experience of public safety communications executives and accreditation experts.
APCO International (Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International, Inc.), the leading communications membership association, was a partner in the development of CALEA’s Standards for Public Safety Communications Agencies© and its Accreditation Program.
This relationship continues today as APCO recognizes the achievements of CALEA Accredited Public Safety Communications agencies and supports accreditation.
CALEA Accreditation requires the Communications Section to develop a comprehensive, well thought out uniform set of written directives. This is one of the most successful methods for reaching administrative and operational goals, while also providing direction to personnel.
CALEA Accreditation standards provide the necessary reports and analyses a CEO needs to make fact-based, informed management decisions.
Accreditation also requires a preparedness program be put in place so the Center is ready to address natural or man-made unusual occurrences.
Being CALEA Accredited can limit a communications center’s liability and risk exposure because it demonstrates that internationally recognized standards for public safety communications have been met, as verified by a team of independent outside CALEA-trained assessors.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is seeking to be the first agency in McHenry County to obtain this distinction by having the exemplary efforts of our Communications Section recognized. Assessors will visit the Sheriff’s Office to review proofs of compliance and inspect our facilities July 27th – 29th, 2015.
In addition to file and facility review members of the assessment team will be conducting interviews with Command staff, Communications staff and members of the Community. Agency personnel and members of the Community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Tuesday, July 28th, 2015 beginning from 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M.
CALEA Accreditation strengthens an agency’s accountability, both within the agency and the community, through a continuum of standards that clearly define authority, performance, and responsibilities. CALEA Accreditation facilitates an agency’s pursuit of professional excellence.
I wonder what it costs to achieve this accreditation, and what is the benefit to the department and the taxpayers of McHenry County?
Is it actually useful, or is it a pointless ego stroke a la the “Triple Crown Award” that Nygren/Zinke thought the department had to have?
There are various accreditation programs for gov agencies.
The product we get is only slightly better and may help prevent a lawsuit.
From a tax payers point of view, mostly justification for higher wages and higher taxes.
Billy Bob, you took the words right out of my mouth.
CALEA is bunk; it’s for Sheriffs who want to strut and posture, using these certificates to plump up their public persona.
Bill, wise up; someone has given you bad advice to get involved with CALEA.
and Yes, they do charge a big $fee for the “certification.”
Just more paper like the Nygren department newsletter, which was not much better than a cheap comic book.
$$$ more waste.
Huh…I thought Sheriff Prim and his supporters thought CALEA certifications were bunk and a waste of money?
They are sounding more like the Obama and all their empty political campaigning every day.
WOW!
Some of the “Regimers” are out in force.
I’m no “Regimer.” I was delighted that Zinke lost.
I was just wondering whether these certifications are worth it or not.
I work in IT, and my field is chock-full of costly yet completely meaningless certifications that allow people to pretend that they are more competent than they really are.
I don’t want any taxpayer-funded agency spending time and money on useless resume padding.
The simple fact is most tax payers will never notice the difference in service, and the vast number of these so call accreditation programs just divert funding/taxes.
No matter who gets elected they seem to all fall into a pattern I like to call the SYSTEM.
We need to always question almost everything they do or we’ll see history repeat itself again and again.
The new Regimer’s like our pal Duncan, are those that are cheerleader’s now for Prim and need to pull their little skirts down because their partisan is showing.
Partisan politics is killing this country!
Fact!!!!
Informative post – I loved the insight –
Does anyone know where I might be able to get ahold of a fillable NARA SF 180 version to work with ?