Vermont Business Magazine A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will arrive July 8, 2019 to examine all aspects of the University Of Vermont Department Of Police Services’ policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services. Verification by the team that UVM Police Services meets the commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to retain accreditation---a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence, according to Chief Lianne M Tuomey.
As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. The session will be conducted in room 403, located in the Dudley Davis Center, UVM campus, Burlington, VT.
If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session, but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, they may do so by telephone. The public may call 656-1031 on Tuesday, July 9, 2019 between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
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. Local contact is Accreditation Manager Daniel Greaves at 656-5751.
Anyone wishing to submit written comments about UVM Police Services’ ability to comply with the standards for re-accreditation may send them to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia 20155
UVM Police Services has to comply with 189 standards in order to maintain accredited status, Chief Tuomey said. The agency continues to work diligently to revise and redefine how police services are delivered to the university community. Accreditation is one element that assures quality service and proactive approaches to community concerns. Complying with CALEA standards assures cost-effective, professional, and compassionate police services.
The Accreditation Program Manager for UVM Police Services is Daniel Greaves. He said the assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar, but out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other places where compliance can be witnessed. The assessors are: Deputy Chief Michael Rein, Rutgers University Police Department, New Brunswick, NJ, as Team Leader and Captain Amy Schreiner, University of Alabama at Birmingham Police Department, Birmingham, AL as Team Member. Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted re-accredited status, Accreditation Manager Greaves stated.
Accreditation is for four years increments, during which the agency must submit annual reports and have annual electronic reviews attesting to continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited. UVM Police Services was initially accredited in November 2003 and was last re-accredited in November of 2015.
Source: (Burlington, VT, June 14, 2019) UVM. For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., please write the Commission at 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155; or call (703) 352-4225 FAX (703) 890-3126.