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Accreditation Earns Respect and Rewards
The Alaska Law Enforcement Agency Accreditation Commission was established in 2005 to provide Alaskan law enforcement agencies with an avenue to demonstrate that they meet commonly accepted standards for efficient and effective operations. The accreditation program verifies that an agency meets or exceeds accepted practices in law enforcement.
The Juneau Police Department applied for the process in 2008. The department created a temporary Professional Standards Sergeant position, with accreditation preparation the largest part of the job. In addition, many hours were logged updating the department’s policy manual. But as Chief Greg Browning pointed out, most of the standards and practices required by accreditation should be done whether or not a department is accredited.
In December 2010, the Juneau Police Department became the first police agency in Alaska to receive accreditation.
What was the most difficult part of the process? “Change,” replied Chief Browning. “Almost any change is resisted if there is not buy-in from those affected. This takes time and patience.”
One benefit of accreditation is pride of ownership, both within the department and the community. “I was surprised at the dramatic increase in morale,” said Chief Browning, “and a new pride in the department that most officers clearly felt as we achieved accredited status.”
More importantly, an accredited department is less subject to liability. As Chief Browning explains, “An accredited department is following the best practices of the industry. This makes the department less likely to be sued in the first place and easier to defend if a suit is filed. Any lawyer will agree that when, for instance, a use of force is challenged, it is nice to be able to demonstrate that the department has a current policy and that the policy meets the best practices standard of the profession.”
In this case, the standards were established by a working group of Alaska chiefs and AMLJIA personnel. “When we go to court in a police case,” explains Kevin Smith, AMLJIA Executive Director, “we will be measured by some standard. We felt that it was important to be measured by Alaska standards, not New York’s. That’s not to say that the standards are watered down at all, they’re just more customized to Alaska’s unique circumstances.”
The AMLJIA Board of Trustees recognizes the benefits of accreditation. Beginning in FY2012, all members with police liability coverage are eligible for a five percent credit on that line of coverage when they become accredited through the Alaska Law Enforcement Agency Accreditation Program.
For those interested in pursuing accreditation, Chief Browning offers this piece of advice: put one person in charge of the accreditation process. “If you parcel the job out to several individuals it often fails,” he explains. “A small department may not have the resources to dedicate one person full time to the job, but at least make accreditation one person’s most important responsibility.”
You can find more information about the accreditation program on the Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police website, www.aacop.org, or e-mail Greg Russell at police@amljia.org. If your department has questions about the Juneau Police Department’s experience with the accreditation process, you may contact Sergeant David Wrightson, who served as Professional Standards Sergeant, at dwrightson@juneaupolice.com.
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