Public invited to participate in park assessment
A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. will arrive Monday, Nov. 30, to examine all aspects of the Fox Valley Park District Police and Public Safety Department policy and procedures, management, operations and support services, Chief Mark Johnson announced.
Verification by the assessor that the Fox Valley Park District Police and Public Safety Department meets the Commission's state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation - a prestigious recognition of public safety excellence, he said.
As part of the on-site assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments by telephone. The public may call (630) 878-0133 from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1.
Interested agency personnel and members of the community are also invited to offer comments at a public information session at 5 p.m. Dec. 1. The session will be at the Fox Valley Park District Police and Public Safety Office, 1460 SE River Road, Montgomery.
Comments are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency's ability to comply with CALEA standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Fox Valley Park District Police and Public Safety building. Local contact is Chief Mark Johnson at (630) 264-7421.
Those wishing to offer written comments about the Fox Valley Park District Police and Public Safety Department's ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., 13575 Heathcote, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA, 20155.
The Fox Valley Park District Police and Public Safety Department has to comply with 189 standards in order to gain accreditation status, Chief Mark Johnson said.
The CALEA Regional Program Manager for the Fox Valley Park District Police and Public Safety Department is Dan Shaw. He said the assessors are public safety practitioners from similar but out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals and visit offices and other locations where compliance can be witnessed.
The Team Leader is Captain John Garavaglia (Ret.), Golden (CO) Police Department. The other Team Member is Chief John Moseley (Ret.), Corpus Christi (TX) Police Department.
Once the CALEA Team Leader completes his review of the agency, they report back to the full commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accreditation status, Program Manager Goddard said.
Accreditation is for three years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.
For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., please write the commission at 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA, 20155: or call (800) 368-3757 or (703) 352-4225 or email calea@calea.org.