CPD Obtains Advanced Level CALEA Accreditation

Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow is proud to announce that the Cambridge Police Department (CPD) has successfully obtained the Advanced Level Accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®). The honor was officially awarded during the CALEA Fall Conference that was held in Jacksonville, Fl. in November.

CALEA was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of law enforcement’s major executive associations. A CALEA Accreditation is widely considered in the law enforcement world to be “the gold standard” accreditation, an honor reserved for only top tier police departments. For context, there are approximately 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States, and just 1,021 currently hold a CALEA Accreditation of any level.

There are two levels of accreditation through CALEA, the advanced being the most prestigious due to the more rigorous standards that must be met. Advanced Level Accreditation requires that the department demonstrate compliance with 463 specific CALEA Standards in their policies and practices.

“Seeking and obtaining the Advanced Level CALEA Accreditation is a reflection of the CPD’s commitment to being a top-tier law enforcement agency.” Said Commissioner Christine Elow, “As a community, Cambridge rightfully expects our police department to adhere to the best practices in the industry. The CALEA Advanced Level Accreditation shows that we are successfully meeting that expectation.”

To achieve this milestone, CPD had to implement or rework a total of 86 internal policies. Much of that work was done by the Professional Standards Unit, Specifically Director James Mulcahy, Esq., Lt. Michael LeVecque, Sgt. Robert Cirriello, and consultant Howard Leibowitz. The process started with a self-assessment by members of the CPD and later involved multiple, in-depth assessments and evaluations by members of the CALEA Accreditation Commission. Before voting on accreditation, members of the assessment team spent time in Cambridge evaluating department policies, speaking with community stakeholders, and observing department operations to ensure full compliance. Now that the department is accredited, the work will continue to ensure CPD continues to meet or exceed the required standards.

Cambridge is now the largest police department in Massachusetts to obtain a CALEA Accreditation and the fifth largest in New England. In total, CPD is one of just 4 municipal police departments in the state that have achieved this milestone. Of these, just Cambridge and Danvers holds the advanced level accreditation.  In New England, the only agencies larger than CPD to hold an accreditation at any level are the Providence Police Department, Vermont State Police, Connecticut State Police, and Hartford Police Department

For more on the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) please visit: https://www.calea.org/

For more on the Cambridge Police Department (CPD) please visit: www.cambridgepolice.org