Lakeland Police Department receives two CALEA Accreditations
LAKELAND, FL (July 31, 2024) - The Lakeland Police Department (LPD) is excited to announce we have successfully retained two national accreditations through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®). On July 27, 2024, Assistant Chief of Police Marvin Tarver and team members from our Office of Professional Standards accepted the reaccreditations for the department’s overall standards of performance and for their Public Safety Communications operations at the Summer CALEA Conference in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
To receive reaccreditation in the CALEA® Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation Program, the Lakeland Police Department had to comply with 461 internationally accepted standards for the operation of police organizations. The Advanced Program is a more rigorous process than the standard Accreditation Program which requires compliance with only 189 standards. In April, a team of assessors from CALEA examined all aspects of the Department’s policy and procedures, operations, management and support services to verify they met the Commission’s leading-edge standards.
To receive the reaccreditation for Public Safety Communications, the 911 Emergency Communications team proved compliance with 211 internationally accepted standards. The achievement certifies that the department meets or exceeds benchmarks and professional requirements in critical incidents, special operations including Homeland Security, organization, training, recruitment and operations.
It was noted by assessors that LPD was in complete compliance. They documented that LPD members were, “professional in their attitude, beliefs and response to the community while actively seeking to identify areas of improvement. This agency is an example of a forward-thinking, professional agency that is viewed as excellent as described by many of those interviewed.” They said there were, “numerous positive interactions between members of the department staff and the community. It was common to observe individuals approach staff members outside the agency and thank them for the service that they provide to the community. It was obvious that there is a high level of community interaction and commitment by the Lakeland Police Department.”
Accreditation is not mandatory but is a voluntary program which challenges departments to hold themselves accountable and sets the bar for excellence. LPD welcomes this process for greater accountability within our agency as well as demonstration to the public of our commitment to excellence. “The reaccreditation of our agency is just one of the measurable ways the Lakeland Police Department demonstrates to the public the level of professionalism and dedication provided every day by the men and women who serve them,” said Chief Taylor.
Created in 1979, CALEA was a joint effort by four major law enforcement associations to bring about a credentialing authority: the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the National Sheriff’s Association (NSA), and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). CALEA was created to be the “Gold Standard in Public Safety” accreditations to foster accountability, transparency and integrity. Some of the advantages of participating in CALEA accreditation are: greater accountability within our agency, reducing the risk of liability exposure, increasing community advocacy, stronger defense with civil lawsuits, and confident support from our governmental leaders.