TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – As part of a voluntary accreditation assessment, employees of The University of Alabama Police Department and community members are invited to offer comments related to the department on Monday, Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. in the Maxwell Hall Conference Room on the UA campus.

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., or CALEA, will arrive Dec. 11 to examine all aspects of the UA Police Department's policy and procedures, management, operations and support services, UA Police Chief Steve Tucker said. The public information session is part of the department’s on-site assessment.

Verification by the team that the UA Police Department meets the commission's state-of-the-art standards is part of the process in gaining and maintaining accreditation – a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence, Tucker said.

“The University of Alabama's Police Department has to comply with 350 standards in order to maintain accredited status,” said Tucker. “Maintaining accreditation demonstrates to the University community our agency's commitment to providing professional services which meet the highest standards,” he said.

If an individual cannot attend the public information session but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, he or she may do so by telephone. The public may call 348-2619 on Monday, Dec. 13, between the hours of 8:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Telephone comments and appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency's ability to comply with CALEA's standards. A copy of the standards is available at the UA Police Department in Gorgas Hall. The local contact is Captain Tim Summerlin, 205/348-8395.

Those wishing to offer written comments about UA's Police Department ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA), 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100. Fairfax, Va., 22030-2215.

Summerlin, the accreditation program manager for UA’s Police Department, said the assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar, but out-of-state, agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other places where compliance can be witnessed.

The assessors are: Chief Douglas L. Knight, of the Vandalia, Ohio Police Department, team leader; Major Elaine P. Snow, Rome, Ga. Police Department; and Lieutenant William Buckbee, Kent State University Police Department, Kent, Ohio.

Once the commission's assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted reaccredited status, Summerlin said.

Accreditation is for three years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., please write the commission at 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, Va. 22030-2215; or call 800/368-3757 or 703/352-4225.