Wayland PD Earns Certification Status

Photo (submitted): From left To right, Board of Selectmen member Lea Anderson, Lt. Pat Swanick, Chief Robert Irving, Accreditation Manager Sgt. Sean Gibbons, and President of the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission, Chief Mark Leahy of Northborough after receiving police certification at the Andover Country Club on Nov. 5.

On Nov. 5, the Wayland Police Department received state certification from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.

Certification is a self-initiated evaluation process by which police departments strive to meet and maintain standards that have been established for the profession, by the profession, said the announcement.

These carefully-selected standards reflect critical areas of police management, operations, and technical support activities. They cover areas such as policy development, emergency response planning, training, communications, property and evidence handling, use of force, vehicular pursuit, prisoner transportation and holding facilities.

The program not only sets standards for the law enforcement profession, but also for the delivery of police services to the citizens of the commonwealth.

“Achieving Certification from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission is considered a very significant accomplishment and is a recognition that is highly regarded by the law enforcement community,” said Donna Taylor Mooers, the commission’s executive director, in a statement.

Under the leadership of Chief Robert Irving, the Wayland Police Department was assessed in October by a team of Commission-appointed assessors.

“Going through the process initially requires intense self-scrutiny, and ultimately provides a quality assurance review of the agency,” said Mooers in the announcement.

To conduct this self-assessment and prepare for the on-site review of the 159 standards by the Commission, in 2014, Chief Irving appointed Sergeant Sean Gibbons to serve as the Department’s Accreditation Manager.

Certification has been granted for a period of three years. Participation in the program is strictly voluntary.