Inside Track
Public Opinion Sought as UP Police Department Seeks CALEA Accreditation
Posted April 4, 2014 07:45 AM CDT
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Union Pacific Railroad is seeking public input as it begins an on-site assessment of its police department. This assessment is part of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA) national law enforcement accreditation, which the railroad currently is pursuing.
"Verification that the Union Pacific Police Department meets the Commission's utmost standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation," said Josh Closson, regional director of Union Pacific Police. "CALEA accreditation is a prestigious recognition and we invite the public to join us as we work to demonstrate Union Pacific's commitment to excellence in law enforcement."
CALEA accreditation requires the Union Pacific Police Department to comply with advanced standards in four areas: policy and procedures, management, operations and support services. The process consists of five phases: enrollment, self-assessment, on-site assessment, commission review and decision, and maintaining compliance.
In 2013, Union Pacific's Response Management Communications Center (RMCC) became one of the few private communications centers to receive CALEA accreditation.
The general public is encouraged to provide feedback about the Union Pacific Police Department as part of the on-site assessment phase by calling 877-859-9008, Monday, April 7, from 2-4 p.m. CDT. Comments will be processed by the CALEA assessment team. Calls are limited to 10 minutes and must address the Union Pacific Police Department's abilities to comply with CALEA standards.
Written comments also will be accepted and can be sent to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc., 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 22030-2215 or www.calea.org.
CALEA was established in 1979 as a result of combined efforts of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement (NOBLE), National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) and the Police Executive Research Fund (PERF) to establish a law enforcement credentialing authority. According to CALEA, today, only 17 percent of U.S. law enforcement agencies have earned CALEA accreditation.
