The City of Upper Arlington Police Division recently announced that it has successfully attained reaccreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). The division successfully attained its first accreditation in 1993 and has been able to retain this important standard since that time.

We are fortunate to enjoy superior safety services in UA, but it’s not a fluke. When asked in community and police safety surveys, residents place a high level of importance on the provision of quality police, fire and emergency medical services. As a result, the City has made a conscious effort to make sure our safety services have the resources and training they need to be among the best in the region.

Much effort is required to keep up with the evolving challenges and opportunities associated with providing relevant, first-rate safety services. For Police, criminal activities take advantage of societal shifts and technological advancements, so it’s important that the division keep current with these changes and the community’s needs.

National certification from CALEA provides an invaluable measurement tool to confirm the division is meeting the highest standards of law enforcement. The benefits of being an accredited agency includes greater accountability within the agency, reduced risk and liability exposure, stronger defense against legal lawsuits, staunch support from government officials, and increased community advocacy.

Specifically, the accreditation program gives law enforcement agencies the opportunity to prove that their practices meet an established set of professional standards set by CALEA. These include maintaining a comprehensive set of written directives, providing reports and analyses necessary for the Police Chief and other division leaders to make informed decisions, and ensuring that programs are in place for times of natural or man-made critical incidents, just to name a few.

Our congratulations to Police Chief Keith Hall and his team for a job well done.

For more on the services provided by our Police Division, click here.