Comments Sought For Lower Merion Police Accreditation Program

ARDMORE, PA – As the Lower Merion Township Police Department gears up for an on-site assessment for an accreditation program, community members are invited to make public comments on the department at a meeting next week.

According to the township, ahead of the assessment from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), members of the community as well agency employees as are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 6 p.m. in the second floor board room of the township administration building, 75 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore.

For those who can't make the meeting, comments can be submitted by calling (610) 645-6276 on Oct. 3, 2017 between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Comments will be taken by the Assessment Team.

Telephone comments, as well as appearances at the public information session, are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA’s standards.

Emails with comments may also be sent between Oct. 2, through Oct. 4. Emails should be sent to police@lowermerion.org.

A copy of the Standards is available at the Lower Merion Township Police Department. The local contact is the LMPD’s Accreditation Manager, Ofc. Madeline Lewis. She can be reached at (610) 645-6203.

The national accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services, the township said.

Anyone wishing to submit written comments about the Lower Merion Township Police Department’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA®), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia, 22030-2215 or online here.

Less than 5 percent of all law enforcement agencies in the United States have earned the CALEA accreditation, the township said.

In Pennsylvania, only about 1 percent of law enforcement agencies have earned the designation, the township said.

Lower Merion Police earned accreditation through CALEA first in 2015. The accreditation lasts three years.

Image via Lower Merion Township Police