The UConn Police Department is inviting members of the community and area residents to offer input about the department at a public forum, as part of its application for reaccreditation.
The forum will run from 3 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17, in the Student Union Theatre on the Storrs campus. People who cannot attend also will have a chance to submit written comments to the agency handling the assessment.
The forum is part of a broader process under which the UConn Police have applied for reaccreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA).
Seeking accreditation is a voluntary process in which departments have to comply with nearly 450 standards of professional excellence, covering everything from training and personnel policies to community outreach, records management, and handling emergencies.
The UConn Police Department received its first accreditation in March 2000, and is one of 22 police departments and training agencies in Connecticut to receive that designation.
The upcoming triennial assessment will include a comprehensive external review by CALEA assessors, who will examine the UConn Police Department’s policies and practices, public commentary, and public hearings.
“The UConn Police Department is committed to exemplary service and strong community relations, and CALEA accreditation assists us in meeting those goals through its rigorous review by assessment teams, along with peer reviews and public commentary,” says Barbara O’Connor, UConn’s chief of police and director of public safety.
For more information on the CALEA accreditation process and the UConn Police Department, visit the department’s website at www.police.uconn.edu.
People who are unable to attend the Dec. 17 public forum may also provide public comment to the assessors that day between noon and 2 p.m. by calling 860-486-5196.
Written comments may be addressed to: The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Va. 20155.
People seeking more information may also contact UConn Police Officer Jason Hyland at: jason.r.hyland@uconn.edu.
