DRBA Police Department seeks seventh reaccreditation
A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. will arrive Sunday, Aug. 13, at the Delaware Memorial Bridge to examine all aspects of the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department's policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services. The bistate agency's police department has three troops, one at the Delaware Memorial Bridge complex and two at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry.
Col. Richard H. Arroyo, DRBA police administrator, noted the importance of the accreditation process. "As a nationally recognized professional law enforcement agency, we are constantly striving to maintain best practices in law enforcement," Arroyo said. "The CALEA standards serve as a benchmark for any law enforcement agency in pursuit of professional excellence. This voluntary process carries with it the highly prized recognition of professional excellence in law enforcement."
The national assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar but out-of-state agencies and will verify that the DRBA Police Department complies with CALEA's rigorous, state-of-the-art standards. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, visit offices and accompany officers on patrol to measure and grade the department's compliance. The assessors are team leader Chief Stephen Walker, a retiree of the Centerville Police Department, Centerville, Ohio, and Lt. Scott Bronze of the Cleveland Police Department, Cleveland, Tenn.
Agency employees and the public are invited to offer comment by calling the assessment team between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 14, at 302-571-6426. As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and the general public are also invited to offer comments in person at a public information session at 4 p.m., Monday, Aug. 14, in the Vincent A. Julia Center Building at the Delaware Memorial Bridge Plaza, junction of I-295 and Route 9, New Castle. Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency's ability to comply with CALEA Standards. For more information from Sgt. Kristen Todd, accreditation manager for the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police, call 302-571-6431.
Individuals wishing to offer written comments about the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department's ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write CALEA at: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155 or email calea@calea.org.
CALEA commissioners will be notified of the results of the assessment in a detailed report by the team leader. In November 2017, the CALEA board is expected to vote on the DRBA application, which will determine if a reaccredited status will be awarded. The DRBA Police Department has been accredited since 1996.
Accreditation is for four years, during which the agency must submit annual reports to CALEA attesting to its continued compliance with commission standards. For more information on accreditation, call CALEA at 703-352-4225.
