Accreditation is a formal process where an independent agency evaluates an institution or organization to verify that it meets defined quality or professional standards. An accredited institution or organization has received formal recognition of its ability to ensure, to the best extent possible, that a product, service, or individual meets all specific requirements. Authoritative agencies that perform accreditation procedures are accreditation bodies that exist in various fields. EVOLVE PSAS specializes in providing independent consultation services for the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), the Commission on the Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), and the International Parking & Mobility Institute's (IPMI) Accredited Parking Organization (APO) accreditation programs.

Ready to Take Your Agency to the Next Level?

Benefits of Public Safety Accreditation

Accreditation signifies an agency's ongoing commitment to excellent, state-of-the-art performance in every aspect of its operations. Accredited agencies demonstrate to their personnel, community, customers, and outside experts their professionalism and mission focus.

Accountability

Accreditation provides greater accountability and competency in daily operations. Officers and staff know what the policies and procedures are, how to perform them, and that they are accountable to them. This especially provides agency leadership with a proven management system of policies and procedures, sound training, clearly defined lines of authority, and so forth that support proper decision-making. An accredited agency is subject to periodic, professional review and assessment of agency operations, administration, and services. These are particularly critical issues in today’s law enforcement and public safety world.

Continuous Improvement

Accreditation is a roadmap for agency leaders to chart a course for the agency and continually assess what works and what doesn't.

Best Practices

For agencies that aspire to excellence, accreditation standards demand that agencies follow best practices in operations, training, administration, finance, and human resources. Accreditation ensures that personnel are trained and functioning according to established best practices, policies and procedures and not on the whims of staff who can have varied experiences, practices and training before being hired.

Risk Management

Accreditation standards establish that agencies follow accepted policies and practices that minimize risk and liability and strengthen an institution's defense against complaints and lawsuits. In many jurisdictions, being accredited will garner a reduction in liability insurance costs.

Professional and Public Recognition

Accredited agencies are an exclusive group, having demonstrated compliance with stringent professional standards as validated by peers within the applicable law enforcement and public safety industries. This provides objective evidence of an agency's commitment to excellence in leadership, resource management, and service delivery. Accreditation also embodies the precepts of community-oriented policing. It creates a forum in which public safety and law enforcement agencies and citizens work together to prevent and control challenges confronting them and provides clear direction about community expectations. In turn, stakeholders (e.g., government officials and the community) are more confident in the agency's ability to operate efficiently and meet community needs with greater trust and collaboration ensuing.

Becoming accredited can often be a long, complex process. EVOLVE consultants are prepared to assist you in streamlining the process from a typical three-year time period to 18 to 24 months, providing valuable insight into tried and true project management practices, mitigating potential roadblocks, and providing business continuity resources to ensure your agency is well-prepared to maintain its accreditation status in the years to come.

Enrollment

The agency will first assess and identify the accrediting body through which they’ll choose to meet established professional standards. An application is submitted, after which the accrediting body will provide detailed information about Accreditation. The agency’s chief executive signs an agreement to become a candidate agency and designates an accreditation manager who will assess the standards for applicability to the agency’s functions and establish a content matter expert accreditation team.

Self-Assessment

Next, the agency must establish a filing system and show proof of compliance with all applicable accreditation standards. Referred to as the self-assessment phase, this process can take up to 36 months to complete. The agency first assesses, reviews, and/or revises its written directive system (i.e., policies, procedures, laws, statutes, and other regulatory directives), ensuring they comply with accreditation standards. Agency personnel then compile proofs of compliance—policies, records, reports, photographs, etc. - demonstrating compliance with standards. Once the agency is satisfied that it has met the standards’ requirements, it schedules a mock assessment. Upon meeting the findings and recommendations of the mock assessors, the agency will notify the accrediting body to schedule an on-site assessment.

Assessment

Finally, an on-site evaluation is conducted by public safety professionals from the accreditation body who are carefully selected and trained in all functions of the public safety and/or law enforcement agency. The assessors visit the agency to review agency compliance with standards, generally consisting of a tour of facilities, interviews with agency personnel and community members, a compliance review of applicable standards, and receipt of public comment. Assessors provide feedback to the agency during the review. A written report with recommendations to the accrediting body is then forwarded for review by the accrediting commission.

Commission Review & Decision

A Compliance Committee reviews the assessment team’s report and then sends it to the full Commission for a vote. Accreditation is awarded for a specified period established by the accrediting body (e.g., IACLEA accreditation is for four years). Formal recognition of all agencies accredited or reaccredited during the year often occurs at an annual conference and exposition.

Maintaining Compliance & Re-Accreditation

The self-assessment process renews upon compliance of the on-site assessment and is referred to as the re-accreditation period. This process is not to be viewed as an event that occurs once every review cycle; instead, as an on-going, quality performance review of the agency. A successful reaccreditation is contingent upon the agency's ability to demonstrate continued compliance with applicable standards each year during the period being reviewed. During this time the agency continues to measure performance against the standards, paying close attention to time-sensitive standard requirements and submitting annual reports demonstrating continued compliance. In maintaining compliance, the agency must have a reliable system for ensuring that periodic reports, analyses, reviews, and other activities mandated by applicable accreditation standards are accomplished during the re-accreditation period. These activities are the focal point of the reaccreditation assessment. Throughout the process, members of the accrediting body are available to provide guidance and technical assistance in helping agencies identify and overcome challenges to the accreditation process, typically stemming from organizational growth and change.