Professionalism, stewardship, integrity, diversity, independence, continuous improvement, objectivity, credibility, consistency, knowledge, experience, accountability, and collaboration are the primary cornerstones that distinguishes CALEA from all other forms of public safety accreditation. |
The Value of CALEA Conference Attendance
The answer to some of the most frequently asked questions by new clients and perspective clients or newly appointed accreditation managers of seasoned accredited agencies relate to CALEA Conference attendance. "Where can I get accreditation training? What are the advantages of buying this software? How can I see policies from other accredited agencies? How do we comply with this new standard? How do I prepare for an on-site? What happens at the review hearings?"
All these questions and more can be satisfied by attending and actively participating in a CALEA Conference. Outside of local or regional PAC or support networks, this is the primary source for gaining accreditation training and gathering useful insights and techniques, interacting with CALEA Commissioners and staff, providing feedback on standards development and process actions, and networking with some of the most progressive, well-managed, accredited public safety organizations internationally. Here is what you can expect to take away from a CALEA Conference. Read more. |
 The Southern Pines Police Department Adds QR Codes to Patrol Vehicles
Chief John W. Letteney
Southern Pines (NC) Police Department
The Southern Pines Police Department has added QR (Quick Response) Code stickers to the bumper of its marked police vehicles as a means to offer choices to interact with the department in a manner that is efficient, effective and comfortable for the community. What is a QR Code you may ask? Read more. |
 Communications Open Channel
APCO-CALEA Committee
Mary Sue Robey, APCO-CALEA Committee Chair
Editorial Note: As a CALEA Partner, APCO International pens the Communications Open Channel column, which focuses on topics of interest to our clients, particularly those in the Public Safety Communications Accreditation Program.
The APCO-CALEA partnership is long standing, dating back to 1996 when CALEA sought the expertise of APCO communications specialist to collaborate and develop the Standards for Public Safety Communications Agencies. The Public Safety Communications Accreditation Program was launched in 1999. Years later, a focus group was assembled between both organizations with the goal of revising the standards into the current Second Edition, which was approved by the Commission in March 2007. In order to take its commitment to the next level, APCO formed the APCO-CALEA Committee in 2010.
This committee was a closed committee for the first two years and has recently opened up to accept new members for the 2012-2013 year. The six member committee is comprised of CALEA assessors and accreditation managers with a long standing history in the CALEA accreditation process. The committee hit the ground running and has accomplished much in their first two years.
First, the committee immediately began working with the APCO Institute to create and develop an online Accreditation Managers training class, which meets compliance with Communications Standard 5.2.13. This class is an in-depth introduction to the communications accreditation process. The class runs three times a year for eight weeks, and is instructed by members of the committee. At each CALEA conference, a cross-section of these instructors, APCO staff, and CALEA staff meet to discuss recent evaluations and refine the course as necessary. Over the last two years, 90 students from across the country have completed this course, and it continues to receive rave reviews.
The APCO-CALEA Committee met in 2011 to undertake an extensive review of all the standards in Chapter 7, which many agencies have struggled with since its inception, as well as select standards in Chapter 6. Revisions to these standards have been submitted to SRIC, put out for comment on the CALEA website, and are scheduled for reviewed by SRIC at the Summer CALEA Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, in July 2012.
Another accomplishment was the revitalization of formal recognition of CALEA Communications Accredited agencies at the Annual APCO International Conference. Each agency that has received either accreditation or reaccreditation since the last APCO Conference is honored at the APCO Achievers Breakfast. This committee works to make sure each agency is notified, tracks plans for attendance and assists during the awards presentation. In conjunction with the APCO President, CALEA staff participates in certificate presentations and photo opportunities for the CEO and Accreditation Managers attending.
Over the past two years committee members have worked with the APCO Institute to refine their training offerings at each CALEA Conference. Most recently, the committee worked in unison with the APCO Call Center Standards Committee to compare its Project 33 ANSI training standard with the CALEA Standards in Chapter 5 in hopes of forging new ground between the two.
It has never been more important for communications agencies to do all they can to ensure they are providing proper training and pertinent procedures for the efficient operation of their centers.
The APCO-CALEA Committee is proud of its accomplishments and looks forward to continued cooperative efforts in the future. |
There's still time to register for the ...
CALEA® Public Safety Communications Accreditation Manager Training ... offered by APCO International!
ONLINE Course Begins July 4, 2012
For more information click here. |
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Set Your Sights for SCOTTSDALE!
 The Summer 2012 CALEA Conference will be held July 18 - 21 at the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Register online at the CALEA website Conferences link and continue to visit the site for additional information and updates. Also visit the host agency website link for travel information and event details. REMINDER - CACE Laboratory Training Class
The Scottsdale Conference will be the last time the CACE Laboratory training class will be offered at a CALEA Conference. Starting soon, CALEA Information Technology Cordinator Linda Phillips will be offering regularly scheduled webinar training on using the CACE (CALEA Accreditation Compliance Express) software. The class size will be limited so that personal attention can be given to attendees.
This new training format provides many distinct advantages for CACE users: the training is free to all CALEA clients; multiple users from same agency can enroll; can work on their own familiar equipment where agency's CACE program has been installed; don't have to wait for a conference to take training; and time at the conference can be spent in other useful training classes.
When the final arrangements for the new CACE Lab webinar training are complete, an announcement will be sent to clients and will be included in this newsletter. |
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A NOTE TO SCOTTSDALE CONFERENCE ATTENDEES
New Process for Obtaining Training Certificates!
CALEA has developed a new system to process Certificate(s) of Training for conference attendees. The new process is more efficient and results in attendees receiving their training certificates much sooner. The process is simple and easy to use by requestors. After the conference has ended, attendees wanting certificates for the training classes they attended will log into the conference section on the CALEA website, using the ID and password they were emailed when they registered for the conference. Next click the Submit Training Certificate Request link found under the Schedule tab to select the specific workshop session(s). CALEA will review and approve the requests, then email the attendee the Certificate(s) of Training in an html file format for downloading. This new system greatly increases the timeliness attendees receiving their certificate(s). |
CALEA Commissioner and Staff News
Commissioner Debra Baker retired June 1, 2012 as the Deputy Superintendent of Administration for the New Jersey State Police after nearly 26 years of service.
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 Program Manager's Corner
Who to Call ...
Regional Program Manger or Assessment Manager?
CALEA is focused on providing the best customer service possible, while maintaining the highest level of integrity within its accreditation processes. With this two-fold objective, the appropriate points of contact for accreditation-related communication can sometimes be confusing. With the changes to many of the CALEA processes during the last year, we felt it was very important to provide participating agencies with an overview about contacting CALEA when they are in need of support.
In short, ALWAYS feel free to contact your Regional Program Manager with questions. They are a single point of contact that can get the information you need or get you in touch with the best resource.
Regional Program Managers provide information to CALEA agency representatives throughout the accreditation cycle and often exchange e-mails and phone calls. They sometimes make posts to the CALEA Forum and they strive to ensure they return messages as soon as possible. Because of the importance of access to information from Regional Program Managers, agency representatives should ensure they can receive messages from the calea.org domain and specifically the Regional Program Managers. Their e-mail addresses can always be found on the CALEA website under the "About Us" tab and they are provided below:
Additionally, the Regional Program Managers' assignments by state are found on the CALEA website under the "Resources" tab; see here.
During the assessment process the, CALEA Assessment Manager becomes a critical resource too. The CALEA Assessment Manager is the coordinator for all CALEA assessment activities. As such, clients need to make sure they can receive e-mails from Ms. Karen Shepard at kshepard@calea.org and calea@calea.org.
Many general electronic correspondences regarding assessment issues are delivered from the later address with attachments. This sometimes creates issues for recipients that employ spam and other anti-virus software that is set to be highly selective or sensitive. Client agency representatives should check with their network administrators to ensure they can receive messages from these addresses with attachments.
The Regional Program Managers and the Assessment Manager are in constant contact during any assessment for an agency. Therefore, if an agency makes contact with either the information is shared. Again, CALEA wants to ensure your accreditation experience is positive and remains focused on the primary mission - Continuous Agency Improvement and Enhanced Professionalism within the Public Safety Community.
As a final reminder, it is critical to keep agency information up-to-date with CALEA. This might include changes in chief executive officers or accreditation managers. It may also include such issues as changes in address or phone numbers for contacts within the agency, or even retirements by assessors or other personnel associated with the CALEA Accreditation process. Accurate e-mail addresses are incredibility important to CALEA, as they are often used for sharing information with CALEA enrolled agencies.
Please feel free to contact CALEA with any questions or concerns. We are glad to be of assistance and we look forward to serving the over 1,000 agencies already recognizing the benefits of CALEA Accreditation, the Gold Standard for Public Safety. |
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Agency News
Click Here to view the latest CEO Changes
PAC News
For a list of accreditation support networks click Here
Career Opportunities
The latest job announcements are posted on the CALEA Website. Click Here to view the postings. |
CALEA Law Enforcement Standard 33.8.4
- Education Incentives -
REMINDER
Effective July 29, 2012
On July 29, 2011, CALEA® promulgated a new standard for law enforcement agencies entitled Education Incentives. The purpose of the standard was to further promote post-secondary education as a desired attribute for those serving as sworn law enforcement officers. This standard was enacted with a one year implementation period for CALEA enrolled agencies. Therefore, effective July 29, 2012, all affected agencies must either be in compliance with the respective standard or carry it within the twenty percent category for other-than-mandatory standards.
CALEA Law Enforcement Standard 33.8.4 - Education Incentives states:
A written directive establishes the agency's commitment to higher education through one or more of the following:
a. a requirement of all candidates for full-time sworn positions to possess at a minimum a bachelor's degree;
b. career advancement or compensation incentives for post-secondary educational attainments;
c. education reimbursement for post-secondary education expenses incurred by sworn members of the agency; or
d. bachelor's degree or higher educational requirements for defined sworn positions/ranks within the agency.
After the effective date, agencies may no longer carry this standard in the not-applicable category. It is also important to note that this standard only requires the agency to be in compliance with one of the bullets to fully comply with the standard. This is the only standard structured in this manner and accreditation managers should recognize they do not need to address all four bullets to be in compliance.
CALEA Regional Program Managers are available to assist agencies with this standard and look forward to working with public safety agencies as they work to comply with the requirements of the CALEA Accreditation programs. |
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GOLD STANDARD ASSESSMENT
 As more and more agencies experience the new on-site assessment format, there is mounting praise for the process. Read what Accreditation Manager Lorie Lavender of the Jacksonville Beach (FL) Police Department has to say about their experience with the Gold Standard Assessment. More
CALEA Award Certificate Design
The CALEA staff has completed work with our awards certificate vendor and has developed a new template for all CALEA Award Certificates, The new design provides for the inclusion of the CALEA corporate logo, the various program logos, partner logos, and award levels. The new designs will be used beginning with the Scottsdale Conference Awards. |
Thinking of Getting a Master's Degree?
Johns Hopkins University Launches New On-Line Master of Science in Management for Public Safety Professionals
Since 1993, more than 70 chiefs of police nationwide have graduated from the nationally recognized Master of Science in Management program offered by the Johns Hopkins University's Division of Public Safety Leadership (PSL). Until now, the program was only offered in face-to-face classes in Baltimore, Maryland. But starting in January, 2013, public safety officials nationwide will be able to take advantage of the program in a high-quality, interactive online format, which can be completed in less than two years. Read More.
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