Public Invited to Comment on Capitol Police Operations as Part of International Law Enforcement Accreditation

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The public is invited to comment on the overall operations of the Pennsylvania Capitol Police Department as part of an assessment required to maintain its international accreditation status.

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will examine all aspects of the Capitol Police Department's policies and procedures, management, operations and support services.

As part of the on-site assessment, the public is invited to offer comments to the assessment team via telephone by dialing 717-787-9636, on Sunday, April 25, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Telephone comments are limited to ten minutes and must address the agency's ability to comply with CALEA's standards.  

Verification by the team that the Capitol Police Department meets the CALEA's state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to maintain international accreditation – a highly-prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.

"We take accreditation of our work very seriously because it measures the Pennsylvania Capitol Police Department against internationally-recognized standards and procedures," said Capitol Police Superintendent Richard S. Shaffer. "It reflects our continued commitment to professionalism."

The department must comply with 334 standards in order to continue accredited status. The department was accredited July 28, 2007 and is required to be reaccredited every three years.

There are 592 police departments currently accredited by CALEA throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

To offer written comments about the department's ability to meet the standards for accreditation, write to: CALEA, 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030-2201.

More information about the standards is available by contacting the Pennsylvania Capitol Police at 717-787-9013.

The Pennsylvania Capitol Police is a multi-faceted law enforcement agency that maintains security throughout state-owned locations, including the Capitol Complex in Harrisburg. It has full arrest powers and is charged with investigating all crimes committed on state property. Established in 1895, the 128-member department is second only to the Texas Rangers as the oldest state police organization in the United States.

Media contact: Ed Myslewicz, 717-787-3197

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of General Services