The City of Coral Gables Police Department has earned reaccreditation by the prestigious Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), the international gold standard in public safety.
The department was awarded its seventh reaccreditation after a formal hearing held at the CALEA Conference on Nov. 22, 2014, in Albuquerque, NM.
The reaccreditation is valid for a period of three years. The reaccreditation award was to be presented to the Coral Gables Police Department on Tuesday, Mar. 10, at the city commission meeting.
“The city is very proud of all the men and women at all levels and in all positions — sworn, administrative and support — that deliver excellence every day to our community. We knew it and CALEA confirmed it,” city manager Cathy Swanson-Rivenbark said.
“This is the most recent from a series of great accomplishments by the men and women of the Coral Gables Police Department,” said Interim Police Chief Ed Hudak. “Receiving the Gold Standard Accreditation with Excellence means that our agency goes above and beyond the highest professional standards of law enforcement, for which I am honored and very proud to lead at this time.”
CALEA accreditation is a voluntary process which includes a self-assessment, an on-site assessment, community input and a formal hearing in front of a review committee. In order to receive accreditation status, the Coral Gables Police Department must comply with 483 standards regarding policies and procedures, management, operations and support services that are deemed essential.
One criteria for earning accreditation with excellence requires agencies to be in compliance with a minimum of 90 percent of all applicable standards. The Coral Gables Police Department earned an impressive 97.4 percent standard compliance. Representing the City of Coral Gables Police Department at the CALEA Conference in Albuquerque were accreditation manager Lt. Alexander Roffe and Assistant Chief Michael C. Miller.
In August 2014, an assessment team from CALEA visited Coral Gables and conducted numerous interviews with department staff as well as community members. They reviewed documents and examined policies and procedures of every aspect of police administration and operations.
The purpose of CALEA’s Accreditation Program is to improve the delivery of public safety services by maintaining a body of standards developed by public safety practitioners covering a wide range of initiatives and recognizing professional excellence. Only one percent of all law enforcement agencies in North America achieve CALEA accreditation.
