CALEA Accreditation
Warrenton Chief of Police, Larry Ellard, was presented with the department’s first accreditation award from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in July of 2021.
CALEA accreditation is an ongoing process that ensures a transparent, community-focused police agency. To maintain it, the Department must consistently meet standards, with annual web-based assessments and an on-site review in 2025. For more details see the 2021 press release below.
Warrenton Police Department PRESS RELEASE:
The Warrenton Police Department is pleased to announce that on July 16, 2021, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) voted to award the Department its first Law Enforcement Accreditation status. The comprehensive accreditation process was started by the Department in June of 2017, and included a rigorous self-assessment period in which the entire policy and procedure manual for the Department was rewritten, web-based and on-site assessments were conducted by independent assessors, and public comment sessions were held.
Accreditation is an evaluation process by which public service agencies strive to meet and maintain established standards. These standards reflect critical areas of police management and operations. Standard topic areas include vehicle operations, emergency response planning, training, property and evidence handling, use of force, community outreach, prisoner transportation and many others. In the successful completion of the accreditation process, the Warrenton Police Department has demonstrated a commitment to providing professional police services to the community.
The primary purpose of the CALEA commission is to improve law enforcement service by creating a national body of standards developed by law enforcement professionals. Furthermore, it recognizes professional achievements by establishing and administering an accreditation process through which a law enforcement agency can demonstrate that it meets those standards.
The Commission was created in 1979 as an independent accrediting authority by the four major law enforcement membership associations:
- International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
- National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
- National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA)
- Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)
CALEA accreditation is a continuous process and serves as the foundation for a successful, transparent, community-oriented police agency. To maintain accreditation, an agency must remain in compliance with standards at all times. The Department will undergo annual web-based assessments and will complete another on-site review in 2025.