Salem Police Department earns national accreditation

The Salem Police Department is officially a nationally accredited law enforcement agency. Earlier this month, CALEA, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, recognized the men and women of the department for earning this prestigious distinction. The Salem Police Department is one of just 33 agencies in the Commonwealth to achieve this lofty classification.

“There are more than 350 law enforcement organizations in Virginia, so we are humbled to be part of the group that has earned this level of national achievement,” said Salem Police Chief Mike Crawley. “By participating in the CALEA process, we believe we have improved the quality of the services we provide our community, and we understand we must live up to this designation and be accountable to ourselves and the citizens we serve.”

In order to receive national accreditation, the department had to demonstrate compliance with over 180 different standards including arrest procedures, use of force, evidence and property retention, 911 communications and record keeping.

This list of standards is designed to increase agency effectiveness, increased cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, serve as a tool for policy decisions and management and further provide transparency on behalf of the department.

Sergeant Todd Cheyney serves as the Salem Police Department’s accreditation manager and he was on hand along with Chief Crawley and Major Derek Weeks to accept the honor during a ceremony at the organization’s headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama, earlier this month.

CALEA serves as the premier credentialing association for public safety services for law enforcement organizations. It is an independent, non-profit organization established in 1979 to develop to set of law enforcement standards designed for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to improve services in the Unites States, Canada and Mexico.

• Submitted by Mike Stevens, City of Salem Communications Director