ASU community invited to Police reaccreditation hearing

Community members are invited to attend a public hearing Aug. 8, to offer comments regarding the Arizona State University Police Department (ASU PD). The forum is part of an on-site assessment by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®). The public hearing is a component of a voluntary process to gain accreditation – a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence, according to ASU PD Chief of Police John Pickens.

CALEA accreditation requires law enforcement agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services. Accreditation is awarded for three years during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it initially was accredited. ASU PD originally was accredited in 1997; again in 2002, 2005, and 2008.

The Aug. 8 hearing begins at 4:30 p.m., in ASU PD conference room 204, on the ASU Tempe campus. The forum will be video conferenced to the following ASU campus locations:

• West: Conference room FAB S101
• Polytechnic: CNTR 105  
• Downtown Phoenix: UCENT 271

Individuals who are not able to attend, but who would like to provide comments may call 480.727.6677 between 1:30-3 p.m. on Aug. 8. Public hearing appearances and telephone comments are limited to 10 minutes each and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. To review a copy of the standards, please call Blythe Frausto, ASU PD, 480.965.2858.

Those who wish to offer written comments about ASU PD may write to: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, VA, 20155.

Assessment team members are: Chief Carel Duplessis of the Oakland Calif. Housing Authority Police Department, and Dorris Certain of the University Park, Texas Police Department. They will be examining all aspects of the department’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services to verify that ASU PD meets the commission’s standards. Once the CALEA assessors complete their agency review, they report to the full commission, which then decides if ASU PD will be granted reaccreditation status.

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), write the commission at 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, VA, 20155 or visit: http://www.calea.org/.

For more information about the ASU PD, and to view a contact information list, visit: http://cfo.asu.edu/police or call the Tempe campus department at: 480.965.3456.  

James Hardina, james.hardina@asu.edu
480.727.3450
ASU PD Commander