CRPD ACCREDITATION
Pictured (L/R) – Richard Hammon – PLEAC, Chief Seiple, Deputy Chief DePalma, Retired CRPD Chief Dan Spang, Colonial Regional Police Commissioner Chairman Rick Nagle
On December 16, 2006 the Executive Board of the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (PLEAC) unanimously voted to accredit the Colonial Regional Police Department. The Colonial Regional Police Department is the first Regional Police Department in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to receive accredited status from the PLEAC.
Accreditation is a program which was introduced in 2001 by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association. There are 124 standards which a department must satisfy to attain accreditation. The standards are designed with the objective of identifying operational procedures within the department which when compliant enhance the professionalism and credibility of the organization. Each standard must be exhibited with a set of documented proofs of compliance. Deputy Chief James DePalma was the Accreditation Manager for the CRPD project. It was his responsibility to establish and review policies and make them compliant to the standards set by the PLEAC. The process had taken over a year to complete.
Some of the benefits of Accreditation are:
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Establishes a credible framework for evaluating agency practices and procedures
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Reduces agency risk and exposure to lawsuits
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Decreases liability insurance costs
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Encourages a team approach with input from all members of the organization
