State Police Earn Reaccreditation

MIDDLETOWN — Meeting high standards for law enforcement, the Connecticut State Police recently earned reaccreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

In addition, the state police received a Certificate of Meritorious Accreditation for being one of  handful of agencies to be continually accredited for more than 15 years.

“The Connecticut State Police can be very proud of having earned this reaccreditation. Connecticut’s finest have once again proven that they exceed high standards in law enforcement,” noted John A. Danaher III, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.

The reaccreditation process took three years and included an on-site inspection by a team of CALEA assessors in April. The assessors examined 446 files, conducted panel interviews with various members of the agency, inspected facilities, and went on ride-alongs with troopers in the field.

“Accreditation is a highly prized recognition of law enforcement excellence. Clearly, the men and women of the state police all played a key role in achieving this significant honor,” said State Police Colonel Thomas Davoren. “Our commitment to the accreditation process represents our obligation to professional excellence.”

Accreditation brings benefits in improving public safety service by comparing the Connecticut State Police to the best procedures followed by other agencies and raising any noncompliant areas up to those standards. The multiyear process makes the agency accountable to a respected national organization, while also making its actions transparent to the assessors and to the public.

The Connecticut State Police received reaccreditation with conditions. CALEA assessors will revisit the agency within one year to verify continued compliance with standards identified in noncompliance. Three of the standards related to internal affairs and the fourth is related to evidence inspections.

In 1988, the Connecticut State Police became the third state police agency in the country to receive international law enforcement accreditation. There are 580 CALEA-accredited agencies with many more in the process seeking to achieve that honor. Sixteen state police and state patrol agencies in the United States are currently accredited.