News Releases

MCPD Receives 9th CALEA Re-accreditation – Recognized with Meritorious Law Enforcement Accreditation

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, August 19, 2020

The Montgomery County Department of Police is pleased to announce that re-accreditation status was granted to the department by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA).

The Montgomery County Department of Police was granted Meritorious Law Enforcement Accreditation by CALEA.  Meritorious Awards are granted to agencies that have been accredited for 15 or more continuous years.  The department was first accredited in 1993.

On Friday, July 31, 2020, Montgomery County Chief of Police Marcus G. Jones, Accreditation Manager Don Pike, and other representatives from the department appeared before the Commission for review and re-accreditation proceedings during the CALEA Summer 2020 conference.  The appearance was held virtually and covered a February 2020 on-site assessment of the department; a rigorous process that requires the department to comply with nearly 200 specific standards, over a four-year period, that covers all aspects of police service.  CALEA representatives review department policies and procedures relating to administration, operations, training, direction and authority, organization, and critical incidents.  The accreditation process is designed to assure the public that the Montgomery County Department of Police is meeting and exceeding recognized standards for Public Safety.

The Montgomery County Department of Police complied with all required standards and was unanimously granted re-accreditation status for the next four years.  In the assessment report, CALEA assessors noted the “Montgomery County Police Department has a very robust working relationship with all their policing agency partners within Montgomery County” and that this relationship works to solve quality of life issues within Montgomery County.

To achieve accreditation, the Department has participated in document reviews, site visits, and has shown compliance on numerous standards set by the commission.  During the most recent review, the department hosted representatives from CALEA for an on-site visit.  CALEA representatives toured several department facilities to include the Family Justice Center, and interviewed stakeholders from community groups, judiciary, media, faith-based groups, and allied law enforcement agencies.  CALEA representatives held open community meetings to solicit feedback from the public at large.

According to CALEA, "although accreditation does not prevent all negative outcomes, it does set the course for success and provides a tool for review and ongoing measurement against stated objectives...throughout CALEA's standards manuals, there is a clear commitment to procedural justice, ethical policing, community trust and engagement, transparency in service delivery, appropriate organizational culture, fairness in systems and processes, and consistency in what citizens should expect from law enforcement agency(ies)."

“I am proud of the dedicated staff of over 1,900 men and women that make up the Montgomery County Department of Police and this accreditation affirms its standing as one of the best law enforcement agencies in the Country,” said Chief Marcus Jones.  “Our citizens expect that our agency holds itself to the highest standards.  CALEA Accreditation is considered the gold standard for Public Safety and represents our commitment to excellence.”

More information on the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) can be found at www.calea.org.



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Release ID: 20-302
Media Contact: mcpnews 
Categories: public-statement