title
PRESENTATION OF AN AWARD FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT RE-ACCREDITATION TO THE NORMAN POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM THE OKLAHOMA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE.
Body
BACKGROUND: The concept of law enforcement accreditation began in the 1970's with a goal to instill professionalism into every phase of police service. Law enforcement accreditation mirrors similar programs in education, medical and other professional disciplines.
In 1995, the Oklahoma District Attorneys' Council awarded a grant to the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police to create and implement an Oklahoma law enforcement agency accreditation program. A committee comprised of representatives from state, county and municipal law enforcement, judges, municipal assurance attorneys and the Fraternal Order of Police reviewed other accreditation structures and officially implemented the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Agency Accreditation and Professional Standards Program in 1996.
In 1997, the Norman Police Department began a long and arduous process to achieve accredited status. In September 1999, a team of law enforcement administrators conducted a comprehensive three day on-site assessment. The assessors inspected every aspect of the Department by reviewing accreditation standard files, conducting patrol ride-alongs, attending department meetings and interviewing employees and citizens. Following that process, the Norman Police Department was granted accredited status. In doing so, they became the first municipal agency in Oklahoma to be accredited under this new program. This most recent assessment was conducted after a year-long transition to a new policy manual that is based on a new system designed to bring the agency into better compliance with Federal and state laws and court findings as well as national and regional policing standards. The transition allows the agency to be more transparent by ultimately publishing the manual online. While all agencies in Oklahoma are looking at this same system, the ...
Click here for full text