State Programs Committee Reports in Denver

The concept for relationship with state programs and a tiered process was approved for further development.

The State Programs Committee reported on its work at the open business session of the Commission's March meeting in Denver. The committee was charged at CALEA's July 1998 Hershey (PA) meeting with "initiating an open dialogue with state accreditation groups, to discuss mutually beneficial relationships with CALEA…"

The State Programs Committee went right to work on its charge. It gathered information from the field, met with program members from Florida, Washington, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Virginia, and held a two-day workshop for committee members at CALEA Headquarters.

In Denver, the State Programs Committee reported to the Commission that:

• In general, the meetings were quite positive.
• Representatives of state programs expressed a desire for a more cooperative relationship with CALEA.
• Several of the state programs evolved because they fill a perceived void between CALEA and the smaller agencies.
• The state perception is the states can offer a more affordable and achievable process, with "closer" contact with agencies, along with a program that can be tailored to address unique state issues.

Based on this report, the committee established goals for the development of a plan. These goals include:

• Promulgating a concept that would involve more agencies in the accreditation process, particularly A and B sized agencies.
• Perpetuating the use of a uniform set of standards.
• Forming a fiduciary relationship between the state programs and CALEA.
• Acknowledging the efforts of state programs.
• Providing a more desirable, affordable, and achievable accreditation process.
• Establishing CALEA accreditation as the concluding accreditation award.

Further, in the development of any new concept for CALEA that would meet these goals, the State Programs Committee articulated certain principles, that must be met in the process:

• The preservation of the integrity and credibility of the CALEA accreditation process.
• The identification and preservation of a set of "core" standards.
• The continued viability of CALEA.
• The recognition of CALEA's role in the research, development, and ownership of the standards.
• The continuance of the accreditation's goal to improve both the profession, and the delivery of quality law enforcement service.

The committee recommended that the Commission move forward with developing:

• A formal alliance with state accreditation programs to explore mutual cooperation, recognize the efforts of the state programs, and reduce CALEA accreditation costs for state accredited agencies.
• Develop a "tiered" process for accreditation, with "core" standards in the first "tier," and remaining standards in one or two subsequent "tiers."
• Offer such a "product" for all agencies desiring CALEA accreditation, regardless of whether they can access a state or regional accreditation program.

Following the State Programs Committee report, the Commission approved moving forward with developing this concept into a workable plan for review, discussion and/or adoption at its annual business meeting at Atlanta, Georgia, in November of 1999.

In order to complete this task within the ambitious time line established, the State Programs Committee will use the Outreach, Corporate Affairs, and Standards Review and Interpretation Committees as part of a "task force" to develop the program.

Once formed, the task force will meet in the Washington, D.C. area before the July 1999 Commission Meeting in Montreal. There it will begin its work to identify "core" standards, discuss a "tiered" process, formulate a business plan with state programs, and identify the process involved in such a new product offering.

Please visit CALEA's Website at www.calea.org to view the full text of the PowerPoint presentation the State

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