Simsbury Police Department Receives National Accreditation

There’s something different about the , and the only thing that might tip you off is a small pin the members will be wearing.

The pin says Law Enforcement Accreditation and then has the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) logo.

As of July 30, the Simsbury Police Department is now a nationally accredited department by CALEA.

The process is voluntary. CALEA was started in 1979 as a way to enhance law enforcement as a profession and improve law enforcement service delivery. It was formed through the combined efforts of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, National Sheriffs’ Association and the Police Executive Research Forum.

The process takes three years and is mostly a self-assessment. There is a site visit, public participation and then a final session — this time out in Ohio — that three department members attended.

“They didn’t tell you whether your received accreditation or not,” said Lt. Nicholas Boulter, the department’s accreditation manager, who traveled to Ohio with Chief Peter N. Ingvertsen and Officer Tracy Dunne. (And yes, they drove out and back in one car.)

But it turned out OK, as they did receive the designation. The accreditation is good for three years and then the department must reapply.

The panel of commissioners — there are about 20 — made a unanimous vote to recommend accreditation of the Simsbury Police Department. The designation signifies excellence in public safety policy and practice.

Policy, procedures, equipment and facilities are self-assessed and assessed by a CALEA team. That meant going though about 390 files, an example of which would be the use of force. The department would have to show training and authorization for every year in use of force, escalating force and deadly force as well as safe handling procedures.

Once accreditation is gained, it does not stop there. The department has to maintain and document its standards, an important part of what the commission reviews when the department seeks reaccreditation.

“There’s pressure to keep up with this,” said Boulter. “If we say we’re going to do something this helps us do that.”

A plaque will be arriving at the department in about two months.

“I think it’s great for our department and I think it’s great for the town,” said Boulter.

CALEA holds three accreditation conferences a year. At this one Boulter said there were maybe 50 other agencies either seeking accredited for the first time or receiving reaccreditation.

This is the first time the department has been accredited by CALEA. It has been accredited by the state for many years.

Only about 4 percent of police departments in the U.S. are accredited by CALEA, according to Bill Welch, former chief of police in Lewiston, Maine, and the assessment team leader.

The designation makes Simsbury the 17the department in the state to receive accreditation. Some of the departments that are accredited in the area include Avon, Farmington, Enfield and Glastonbury

Being an accredited agency also means some benefit to the town in terms of liability insurance, something that could offset the $12,000 price tag for the process.

But mostly, it is a way to set a standard for the department, which has 35 officers.

“It really sets a very high standard and we have to show that we maintain that high standard,” said Boulter.

CALEA is located in Gainesville, VA, the agency's website is www.calea.org.

Questions regarding the accreditation process may be directed to the Simsbury Police Department’s accreditation manager, Lt. Nicholas Boulter at 860-658-3106.

Benefits of accreditation according to CALEA include:

• Controlled liability insurance costs
• Stronger defense against lawsuits and citizen complaints
• Greater accountability within the agency
• Staunch support from government officials
• Increased community advocacy
• Improved employee morale