May 17, 2005
The Honorable Harold Owen
425 S. Lexington Avenue
Burlington, NC 27215
Dear Manager Owen:
We are happy to report that during the Birmingham Conference the Commission awarded Accredited/Reaccredited or Recognized status to the following agencies in your state.
Burlington Police Department
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (Accredited)
Garner Police Department
Jacksonville Police Department
Morrisville Police Department (Recognized)
This action was taken in Birmingham, Alabama on March 19, 2005. These agencies belong to an elite group of public safety agencies in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Barbados that have received this prestigious, international award. Citizens in your state deserve to know that these agencies, like schools and hospitals, have taken extraordinary steps to demonstrate their professionalism and pride in delivering quality law enforcement service to their communities.
The Commission is an independent, nonprofit organization, founded by the four law enforcement membership associations: the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriff’s Association and the Police Executive Research Forum. The Commission is comprised of Chiefs, Sheriffs, elected officials and community leaders appointed by the four founding organizations. CALEA maintains a body of professional, law enforcement standards and administers a voluntary process for participation.
The agency must meet all applicable standards according to their size and function. The standards address all areas of administration, operation, and technical support activities. Following a thorough self-assessment, the agency receives a vigorous on-site assessment by a team of assessors, trained by CALEA. The assessors carefully review policy, observe procedures, interview personnel, and seek public input from the community. The team’s final report forms the basis for a post-assessment hearing before the Commission. The three-year award requires an agency’s commitment to maintain compliance with standards and offers an opportunity for reaccreditation of their compliance into the future.
You should be tremendously proud of the men and women in these agencies. Congratulations!
Respectfully yours,
Sylvester Daughtry, Jr.
Executive Director