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 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31, in the Konover Auditorium of the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, 405 Babbidge Road, on the Storrs campus.
People who cannot attend will also have a chance to submit written comments to the agency handling the assessment, or can call a reaccreditation committee representative during specific times on Oct. 31.
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 19 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, along with assessing public commentary from the Oct. 31 hearing.
“Just as in private industry, our work is improved by learning about the best practices in public safety and incorporating them into our department’s daily work,” says Hans Rhynhart, UConn’s chief of police and interim director of public safety. “The UConn Police Department’s participation in the CALEA process reflects our commitment to excellence and to providing the highest possible level of service to our community.”
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 Oct. 31 public forum may also provide public comment to the assessors that day between 1 and 3 p.m. by calling 860-486-5196 or 860-486-5183.
Telephone calls are limited to 10 minutes and must focus on the department’s ability to comply with the commission’s standards, which can be found online on CALEA’s site or viewed at the UConn Police Department headquarters, 126 North Eagleville Road, Storrs.
Written comments may be addressed to: The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155.
People seeking more information may also contact UConn Police Deputy Chief Magdalena Silver at magdalena.silver@uconn.edu.
