Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Earns Re-Accreditation From NJSACOP

The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office announced on Friday that it has been re-accredited by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (NJSACOP).

Law enforcement agencies receive accreditation for their proven commitment to best practices in law enforcement, and for demonstrating compliance with performance standards that aim for greater accountability within the agency, increased community advocacy, and an operation that works efficiently to respond to community needs.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office was first accredited three years ago.

On Thursday, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane M. Ruberton testified before the NJSACOP Accreditation Commission in a meeting held at the South Brunswick Police Department. She spoke about the work done by the Prosecutor’s Office to continuously improve its operation by ensuring that all policies and procedures, management operations, operational units, and support services are routinely scrutinized for conformance to law enforcement practices.

Ruberton and members of her staff testified to the agency’s compliance with the 105 accreditation standards required to achieve and maintain its accredited status.

“Our agency’s work ethos has always included the importance of vigilant scrutiny of processes, methods, and procedures of our core functions of investigation and prosecution—and of our responsibility to provide leadership and oversight for municipal law enforcement agencies in Atlantic County,” Ruberton said during the hearing. “Looking for improvement, questioning the efficacy of methods we have used in the past, and encouraging individuals to come forward with ideas for a better way, have long been part of our culture. An advantage to our Agency of formalizing those activities through NJSACOP Accreditation—and now ReAccreditation—is that this ongoing examination of processes, methods, and procedures is made more vigorous and more systematic.”

At the conclusion of the hearing, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office was awarded by the Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission re-accreditation for three more years.

During that time, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office must submit annual reports attesting to their continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

In June, an assessment team of the Accreditation Commission independently examined all aspects of the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, returning a report of that process to the Commission.

Verification by the team that the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office meets the Commission's "best practice" standards is part of a voluntary process to achieve accreditation, a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.

The assessment team reviewed the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office’s accreditation records and proofs of compliance that are maintained by its Training, Accreditation, and Planning Section for the ongoing examination of operational procedures.

“The assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar New Jersey law enforcement agencies [who] review written materials, interview agency members, and visit offices and other places where compliance with the standards can be observed,” Accreditation Program Manager for the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Harry J Delgado, Ed.S., said. “Once the Commission's assessors complete their review of the agency, they will report to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status.”

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community were invited to offer telephone comments to the assessment team regarding the agency's ability to comply with the NJSACOP standards, or to submit written comments directly to the NJSACOP Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission.

"Accreditation results in greater accountability within the agency, reduced risk and liability exposure, stronger defense against civil lawsuits, increased community advocacy, and more confidence in the agency's ability to operate efficiently and respond to community needs," County Detectives Chief Daren Dooley said at the time.

The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, through its New Jersey Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, is the legitimate authority and accreditation agency in the State of New Jersey.

For more information regarding the Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, the public may write the Commission at: New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission at 751 Route 73, Suite 12, Marlton, N.J. 08053, or email hdelgado@njsacop.org.