ASU holds public hearing for university police accreditation

Members of the community are invited to attend a public hearing Monday, Aug. 4, at 4:30 p.m., to offer comments regarding the Arizona State University Police Department. 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 Chief of Police John Pickens. Accreditation is awarded for three years during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited. ASU’s police force was originally accredited in 1997; again in 2002 and 2005 following a similar procedure.

The hearing will be held on the Tempe campus in the Computing Commons Auditorium (CC120). The meeting will be video conferenced to ASU at the West Campus, Conference Room FAB N301G; ASU at the Polytechnic Campus, Admin room 140; and Downtown Phoenix campus, Post Office Executive Conference room.

Individuals who are not able to attend, but who would like to provide comments are invited to do so by calling (480) 727-6677 between 1-3 p.m. on Aug. 4.

Telephone comments and appearances at the public hearing are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. To review a copy of the standards, please call Blythe Frausto of the ASU Police Department at (480) 965-2858.

Those who wish to offer written comments about ASU’s Police Department may write to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 10306 Eaton Place, Suite 320, Fairfax, Va., 22030-2201.

The assessment team members are: Captain Mark Brooks (Shelby, N.C., Police Department), Ms. Sheryl Mullen (Bellevue, Wash., Police Eastside Communications Center) and Ms. Syndy Nugent (Highland Park, Ill., Police Department). They will be examining all aspects of the department’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services to verify that the university police department meets the commission’s standards. Once the CALEA Assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted reaccreditation status.