MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR 
Jim O’Dell
Commission Chair
In 1999, CALEA and representatives from several local law enforcement accreditation program providers established a committee to explore strategies for a cooperative relationship. This resulted in the formalization of a “CALEA Alliance” with Local Program Providers (LPP), the CALEA Recognition, and the Recognition Through Alliance (RTA) Programs. The CALEA Recognition and RTA Programs were designed as stepping-stones to CALEA Law Enforcement Accreditation™ by permitting small agencies with limited resources to obtain an initial level of professional credentialing by meeting critical CALEA ‘Core Standards’.
A review of the Alliance and Recognition Programs after operating for five years clearly indicated the original intent and expectations had not been achieved, and a reassessment was in order. For example, large size agencies had moved into the recognition programs and had not sought CALEA Accreditation. At the Spring CALEA Conference in Birmingham, Alabama, the Commission appointed Commissioners John D. Glover (Chair), Robert Greenlaw, and James N. Robey to an ad hoc committee to review the three programs and report back with recommendations. Commissioner Jack R. Greene also participated as the representative for the Commission Strategic Planning Committee.
At its Summer Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, the Commission accepted and approved the recommendations concerning the CALEA Alliance, CALEA Recognition, and Recognition Through Alliance Programs. The nine recommendations, which follow, were adopted effective July 29, 2005.
The Commission will address additional issues pertaining to the CALEA Alliance at the Fall CALEA Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, November 16-19, 2005.
Recommendations adopted:
- The CALEA Alliance and Recognition Through Alliance Programs should be continued.
- The CALEA Alliance, CALEA Recognition, and Recognition Through Alliance Programs were designed as stepping-stones to the CALEA Law Enforcement Accreditation Program.
- An agency (Alliance or CALEA) cannot reduce its Accreditation status with CALEA in favor of Recognition status through the Alliance Partner or CALEA.
- Alliance Partners will be required to use only, and conform to current or future ‘Core Standards’ as outlined by CALEA’s Recognition Program. CALEA expects this may result in two separate manuals:
A. The CALEA Recognition Standards for Law Enforcement Agencies© manual would be a required purchase and used intact for any agency seeking LPP accreditation or Recognition® through an Alliance Partner.
B. A supplemental Local Program Provider Standards Manual (if necessary).
- Alliance Partners and agencies will not be permitted to print or use electronic versions of CALEA standards or other manuals, unless purchased from CALEA.
- All agencies in the Alliance must use CALEA standards verbatim.
- Alliance agencies will have CALEA trained assessors on all assessments but will not be required to have a national active CALEA assessor on their assessments.
- CALEA Commissioners will determine Recognition Through Alliance awards after a review of documentation and the on-site final report.
- The Alliance Program will be reviewed again by CALEA in three years.
