Ramsey PD Seeking State Accreditation

The Ramsey Police Department is in the process of proving itself.

For the second time this decade, the PD is applying for state accreditation from the NJS Association of Chiefs of Police. The RPD described accreditation as a “highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.”

Accreditation is a “never ending process,” RPD Chief Bryan Gurney said. “It’s only good for three years, so once you get it, you start striving for reaccreditation.”

The department received its first accreditation in April 2010. To get it, Ramsey needed to prove to a NJSACOP panel that they adhered to 112 standards of best law enforcement practices.

To retain the status, the RPD must prove it again.

The voluntary statewide law enforcement accreditation program requires accredited agencies to adopt “standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives,” the NJSACOP website explains. “Participating agencies conduct a thorough self-analysis to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet these objectives. When the procedures are in place, a team of trained assessors verifies that applicable standards have been successfully implemented.”

Standards that need to be met are outlined in all areas of the department's operations - from its role in the community to specific crime-related procedures, to hiring processes.

If achieved, Ramsey will be reaccredited by the state agency and recognized by the national Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

In addition to getting Ramsey a reduction in the agency’s liability insurance premium, the reaccreditation will also “show that we are running at an efficient level,” Gurney said. “These are the standards, the best practices. And, we’ll show that we are meeting those.”

Part of the rigorous reaccreditation process is an on-site visit from NJSACOP commission members, which Gurney said will happen Sunday, Dec. 16. Residents are invited to make comments to the commission about the Ramsey Police Department for two hours by phone on Dec. 17. Residents can spend up to five minutes anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on that date commenting on the RPD by calling 201-327-1700.

According to Gurney, all 28 borough police officers, four dispatchers and the rest of the PD staff are responsible for keeping the accreditation standards in place.

"This is not done by one person," he said. "It is done by the entore department. [Achieving accreditation] takes a lot of work and commitment from every single officer." 

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