The NJ Police Chief Magazine Volume 24, Number 7 | Page 11

The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | October 2018 NJSACOP LEAP Commission Holds Fall Hearing: Awards 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Reaccreditation By Harry J. Delgado, Ed.S. NJSACOP Accreditation Program Director Accreditation is completely voluntary, but those who seek it are held to the absolute highest standards of law enforcement excellence. Chief Ray Davis from Egg Harbor Township, expressed his sense of accomplishments upon achieving their fourth reaccreditation, “every process of reaccreditation has it nuances, and it’s never the same”. The Egg Harbor Township Police Department may be the first state accredited agency in New Jersey. On Wednesday, October 17 th , thirteen (13) law enforcement agencies were invited to appear in front of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Accreditation Commission to state their case in pursuit of accreditation after months of undergoing the rigorous process. Some agencies have invested years in pursuit of excellence by following accepted state and national best practices in law enforcement. As a way to introduce themselves, Chiefs and their representatives were asked to share the history of their agency, especially anything unusual or unique, comments about their service with the department and that of their accreditation manager, future issues confronting the agency, any unusual service or program that the Chief is particularly proud of relating to their department. Finally they were asked to comment about their experience with the NJSACOP Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. Following the introductions, the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Accreditation Commission reviewed the reports and testimony of these thirteen law enforcement agencies seeking either accreditation or reaccreditation in the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (NJSACOP LEAP). The standards used to determine whether or not a police agency may become accredited reflect the current thinking and experience of law enforcement researchers and experts. The following agencies received reaccreditation; the Passaic County Sheriff, the Delran Police Department 2 nd, the Egg Harbor Township Police Department 4 th , the Mount Laurel Police Department 3 rd , the Hamilton Township Police Department, the Secaucus Police Department, and the Chatham Borough Police Department. The Garfield Police Department, North Brunswick Police Department, Plainfield Police Department, Little Falls Police Department, Franklin Lakes Police Department and the Montclair Police Department received their initial accreditation. Law enforcement associations, leading educational and training institutions, government agencies, and insurance agencies have all acknowledged that any police agency who receives an accreditation certification is holding itself and its officers to the absolute highest standards in the industry. To date, over two hundred agencies have received accredited status through NJSACOP LEAP. For more information about our program I may be reached at [email protected]. Members of Egg Harbor Township Police Department (L) and Montclair Police Department (R) at the NJSACOP LEAP Fall Commission Hearing, October 17th, 2018. 10