Maplewood PD Achieves State Accreditation

The Maplewood Police Department has achieved state accreditation for law enforcement professional standards, it was announced yesterday.

The certificate of accreditation was presented by Harry Delgado, Accreditation Manager of the NJ State Association of Police Chiefs. Upon the acknowledgement given at his introduction, Delgado said, "Save the applause for the Maplewood Police Departement because they certainly deserve it."

Delgado explained that the MPD had just completed an arduous process of reporting and assessment over the course of years. He said that accreditation includes the adoption of policies and programs that assure good policing. Such adoption involves training and discipline — as well as detailed records. Delgado said that police departments that meet these standards have better relations with their communities — resulting in fewer citizen complaints, lawsuits and lower insurance premiums. More importantly, perhaps, they do a better job of meeting community needs.

The accreditation program was developed and is supported by the NJ State Association of Chiefs of Police and governed by the NJ Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission. The Commission voted unanimously on Nov. 10, 2011 to award accreditation to the Maplewood Police Department. Delgado offered his congratulations to "the Chief, the department and the community."

Delgado noted that, in a state with 566 municipalities, only 200 police departments are currently involved in the accreditation program and only 70 have achieved accreditation. Maplewood is one of those 70.

In accepting the certification, Maplewood Chief of Police Robert Cimino said that the accreditation did indeed reflect "years of work." He thanked Lt. John Perna, Officer Tom DiMaggio, retired Capt. Paul Conlon and Capt. Robert Dombrowski, bringing each man to the podium for congratulations and recognition.