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CASE #18 (Issue #70: June 1999)Submitted by Lieutenant Dan Brennan, Lakewood (Colorado) Police Department
Among the department's most notable accomplishments are its requirements of a four-year college degree for police agent applicants and a Citizens Police Academy that is presented as a national model by the FBI National Academy. Recently, the department was recognized by a computer magazine for the innovative ways in which we were using mobile data computers in patrol vehicles. Finally, the department's most noteworthy accomplishment has been the fact that 50 of Lakewood's police agents have gone on to become chiefs of police, sheriffs, and chief executive officers at other law enforcement agencies. Staying at the top requires much hard work by the members of an organization. One of the ways the Lakewood Police Department maintains the highest professional standard is through its participation in the national accreditation process. While the department envisioned itself as a leader in the field of law enforcement, it also recognized the need to "test itself" against a set of standards established by leading law enforcement organizations. In 1986, the department became the 24th law enforcement agency to become nationally accredited. The department has maintained its accredited status by becoming reaccredited in 1991, in 1996, and we are preparing for our third update reaccreditation in May, 1999. Retaining our accredited status has been important to our City Manager, Mayor, and City Council. The accreditation process has brought focus to areas that present increasing liability to our employees, the department, and the citizens we serve. One example of this has been our holding cell facility. The physical resources and operational procedures affecting our holding facility were significantly improved as a direct result of the accreditation process. It was through this process that we identified the risks inherent in what we had been doing (or failing to do). It is a strongly held belief that we averted tragedy and costly liability in our holding facility through the accreditation process. According to our City's Risk Manager, the fact that the police department is accredited has favorably affected the city's insurance premiums and its overall risk management program. Because accreditation covers so many law enforcement functions, it has allowed us to maintain current policies and procedures in many topic areas. Therefore, we have maintained a top-notch recruitment and selection process for hiring sworn and civilian employees. It also has helped the department improve and standardize its in-service training program for both sworn and civilian employees. In addition, accreditation has brought our department positive media attention. In 1996, Good Housekeeping magazine recognized the department as one of the top eight suburban police departments in the nation. The fact that our agency was accredited played an important role in receiving this recognition. In summary, accreditation has provided the Lakewood Police Department with a device to coordinate and keep track of what we are doing as an organization. The Lakewood Police Department is committed to the highest standards and professionalism in law enforcement. We recognize that accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. is very important to our agency in maintaining the highest standards in law enforcement today.
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Since its inception in the early 1970's, the Lakewood (CO) Police Department has been recognized as
an innovative leader among law enforcement professionals. One of the primary reasons for the
department's continuing success is exemplified in its motto, "Integrity, Intelligence,
and Initiative." Our employees have consistently shown the initiative to
try different ideas and concepts to improve law enforcement services to
our community. They are committed to the philosophy of "setting the
standard" in law enforcement.
