Public Notice: CALEA Accreditation Process

The University of Baltimore Police Department is scheduled for an on-site assessment as part of a program to achieve accreditation by verifying that it meets professional standards.

Administered by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., the accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations and support services. 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, March 26, beginning at 5 p.m. Persons interested in speaking are required to sign-in prior to speaking. The session will be conducted in the Venable Baetjer Howard Moot Court Room in the University of Baltimore School of Law, 1415 Maryland Ave. in Baltimore. The entrance to the building is adjacent to Gordon Plaza, at the northwest intersection of Maryland and Mt. Royal avenues.

Agency employees and the public are also invited to offer comments by calling 410.837.5116 on March 26 between the hours of 1 and 3 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. A copy of the standards is available through the University of Baltimore Police Department, Suite 128 in the Academic Center, 1420 N. Charles St.

Anyone who seeks to submit written comments about the University of Baltimore Police Department's ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), Suite 320, 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Gainesville, Va., 20155.

The CALEA assessors for the University of Baltimore Police Department are:

• Robin Geis, director of Safety and Security Services for Franklin University, Columbus, Ohio
• Capt. Zandral Washington, University of Alabama at Birmingham Police

Once the CALEA assessors complete their review of the agency, their report will be sent to the full commission. The commission will determine whether the UB Police Department is to be awarded "Accreditation" status after holding a hearing at a CALEA conference. During this hearing, UB Police Chief Samuel Tress will address a panel of commissioners and respond to any questions that may arise. The final stage of the process culminates at a banquet the last evening of the conference.

The CALEA accreditation will be in effect for three years. During this time, the department must submit annual reports attesting to and verifying its continued compliance with CALEA standards, under which it was initially accredited.

For additional information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., contact the commission:

• by written correspondence: Suite 320, 3575 Heathcote Boulevard, Gainsville, Va., 20155;
• by fax: 703.890.3126;
• by e-mail: calea@calea.org;
• by telephone: 703.352.4225