Clemson University Police Department seeks national accreditation

Clemson University Police Department (CUPD) is looking to raise its profile on a national scale. The department will go through an on-site virtual assessment December 2-3 with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA). The assessment process will include interviews with CUPD staff both days as well as community input on Wednesday, December 2, detailed at length below.

“Clemson University already stands out in the national spotlight and this accreditation would allow CUPD to achieve the next level of organizational excellence,” said Associate Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Gregory Mullen. “This is a great opportunity to display our capabilities as a professional organization and validate the agency is operating based on the most relevant and comprehensive policies, practices and standards within the law enforcement profession.”

The CALEA accreditation programs provide public safety agencies with an opportunity to voluntarily meet an established set of professional standards, which require:

• Comprehensive and uniform written directives that clearly define authority, performance, and responsibilities;
• Reports and analyses to make fact-based and informed management decisions;
• Preparedness to address natural or manmade critical incidents;
• Community relationship-building and maintenance;
• Independent review by subject matter experts; and
• Continuous pursuit of excellence through annual reviews and other assessment measures.

The CALEA was founded in 1979 as a private, nonprofit providing professional credentialing services in the field of public safety. Since its founding, CALEA’s mission has been to improve the delivery of public safety services, primarily through voluntary agency accreditation programs, organized and maintained in the public interest. Once implemented, these programs function as a blueprint that promotes the efficient use of resources and strengthens existing procedures, all while creating a solid foundation for the agency’s future.

“Each standard established by CALEA is considered the best practice in law enforcement on a national level,” said Jonathan Brown, CUPD’s lieutenant for special projects. “It embodies the concept of community-oriented policing and works to improve us overall as an agency while reducing risk and liability.”

Community input is requested

As part of the assessment, CUPD personnel and members of the campus community are invited to offer comments related to the department’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation at a virtual public input session December 2.

The phone-in session will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. Members of the public should call 864-656-9400 and use the code 73897389# to offer comments directly to the CALEA assessment team. Calls are neither screened nor recorded.

The public input video session is set for 5 p.m. Due to COVID-19 regulations, the session will be conducted virtually. Click here to access the Webex session.

The session will conclude when there are no more speakers. Telephone and video comments are limited to five minutes and must address CUPD’s ability to comply with CALEA’s standards. If the public has questions regarding the specific standards or topics, visit the CALEA website.

Anyone wishing to submit written comments about CUPD’s ability to comply with standards for accreditation may send them to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155. You may also email comments to calea@calea.org.