Elgin police chief: Recent accreditation reflects department's commitment to improvement

Elgin's police chief says a recently earned accreditation shows the department is "on the right track."

The Elgin Police Department was certified in early February by the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. The department's policies and procedures were evaluated against established industry criteria during a visit by evaluators in November.

"Getting the accreditation status shows that we are looking at bettering the department," Chief Ana Lalley said. "It's a big deal for any agency, and reading through that report was a good feeling."

Fifty-four police departments in Illinois are accredited under the program, which is not mandated. Departments choose to undergo the evaluation. Elgin hasn't sought any accreditation for at least 10 years, Lally said.

"We're challenging ourselves; we're making sure that we're constantly reviewing policy and practices and ensuring that we're delivering the best service," Lalley said.

Two evaluators did an on-site assessment that included inspections, a review of files, interviews with employees and audits of the department.

The final report paints a flattering picture of a department that has been accused of racial bias after police shot and killed a Black woman during a 2018 standoff. It sparked calls for reforms that now have spanned nearly five years.

"The assessment of the Elgin Police Department has been a definite highlight in the thirty-seven year law enforcement career of Assessor (Roy) Hanold," the report reads. "Having had the opportunity to assess numerous law enforcement agencies for both ILEAP and CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) during that time period there has not been an agency that has stood out as this one has. While the agency has met the standards of ILEAP Tier 1 certification, this report does not do true justice to this agency. One cannot get a true feel for all that has been accomplished here without having been there in person."

Lalley said the validation is a reflection of the willingness of the people in the department to continue developing.

"It's the officers - it's the people here," she said. "You have to go through the hard stuff to continue to get better, and I'm proud of these guys. I appreciate everyone in this building."

The Tier 1 accreditation is good for four years. Lalley said they'll start working on Tier 2 compliance this year.