Michael Richardson
The Columbus Police Department was recently awarded its third consecutive accreditation award from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., known as CALEA.
Accreditation is an ongoing four-year process during which the police department must adhere to strict international guidelines of policing and organizational practices. Administered by CALEA, the accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state of the art standards in four basic areas: Policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services.
Client Service Members review policies and examine procedures to verify compliance every year for four years. At the end of the fourth year, CALEA assessors visit the agency to review day-to-day operations of policies and procedures. After confirming standard compliance through file review, observations of agency activities, and interviews, the commission voted unanimously to award the Columbus Police Department its third award.
“CALEA’s recent re-accreditation of Columbus Police Department confirms that our city is served by well-managed and professional law enforcement. I extend to Chief (Michael) Richardson and his team my sincere thanks and appreciation for their contributions to our safety,” said Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop.
“This is an incredible honor and reflects the dedication of the men and women of the Columbus Police Department to achieve the highest standards in public safety,” Richardson said.
CALEA was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of the following law enforcement’s major executive associations: International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), National Sheriffs Association (NSA), and Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).
