Campus Security Accreditation: Standards
The CALEA Standards for Campus Security Agencies manual includes standards organized into 34 chapters, covering seven topical areas. These standards are promulgated by the Commission’s Standards Review and Interpretation Committee (SRIC) on an ongoing basis, to ensure a contemporary set of best practices for participating agencies. The seven topical areas include:
- organization, management and administration
- direction and supervision
- human resources and personnel process
- training and career development
- critical incidents, special operations and homeland security
- traffic operations
- technical services and contractual agreements
Compliance
Agencies that seek accreditation are required to comply only with those standards that are specifically applicable to them. Applicability is based on two factors: an agency’s size and the functions it performs. Applicable standards are categorized as mandatory or other-than-mandatory. Agencies must comply with all applicable mandatory standards and at least 80% of applicable other-than-mandatory standards. If an agency cannot comply with a standard because of legislation, labor agreements, court orders, or case law, waivers can be sought from the Commission.
“What” Not “How”
Seeking to establish the best professional practices, the standards prescribe “what” agencies should be doing, but not “how” they should be doing it. That decision is left up to the individual agency and its Chief Executive Officer.
