East Dundee police seeking to gain accreditation

A public information session will be held this month as part of an on-site assessment of the East Dundee Police Department as it seeks accreditation.

Agency employees, elected officials and community members are invited to call into the session from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. July 13. Comments will be limited to five minutes and must address the department's ability to meet standards outlined by the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. Written comments also can be mailed or emailed.

An assessment team will be in the East Dundee on July 13 and 14 to examine the police department's policies and procedures, management, operations and support services, village officials said. The accreditation process is voluntary and has been a top priority for Chief George Carpenter.

This will be the first time the department is seeking such an accreditation, said officer John Lawson, who is leading the efforts.

Gaining accreditation requires meeting at least 67 areas of ILEAP criteria, which represent "best practices for delivering professional service to the community," village officials said. Assessors - Lt. Jeff Hamer of the Macomb Police Department and Lt. Sara Balmas of the Lake County sheriff's office - will review written material, conduct interviews, visit police officers, talk with elected officials and evaluate other areas of the department.

"Acquiring accreditation is an important achievement for both the department and the community," village officials said in a statement. "A true measure of compliance with these standards is having peers review our practices in person."

When assessors complete their evaluation, they will submit their findings to the ILEAP committee chairman, who reviews and distributes the report to the full council for consideration. If granted, accreditation lasts four years and would require East Dundee to submit annual reports.

Public comments can be submitted during the July 13 session by calling (847) 343-4753; mailed to the East Dundee Police Department, Attn: ILEAP Accreditation Process, 115 E. 3rd St.; or emailed to Hamer at jhamer@macombpolice.com.

A copy of the accreditation standards is available on the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police website.