The Bainbridge Island Police Department has received reaccreditation by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs – an accomplishment that recognizes the highest professional standards in law enforcement.
“Maintaining accreditation demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the community to pursue high standards and accountability through external review of our policies and practices,” said Chief Clark, who accepted the award this week at the Association’s annual fall conference.
The purpose of accreditation is to provide a review process for agencies to be certified as operating under industry best practices and standards. In 1976, the Association was directed by the Washington State Legislature to develop standards and goals for Washington State law enforcement and has maintained an operational accreditation program since that time.
To receive accreditation, agencies must complete a process that scrutinizes the agency’s goals and objectives, role and authority, use of force practices, management, staffing, organization and utilization of personnel, records management, information technology, unusual occurrences, health and safety, fiscal management, recruitment and selection, training, the performance evaluation process, code of conduct, internal affairs, patrol function, investigative function, evidence/property control function, and prisoner security. To maintain accreditation, agencies must repeat the process every four years.
The Bainbridge Island Police Department received its initial state accreditation in 2017, and is among only 63 other departments in the state that hold this designation (approximately 25% of all Washington State law enforcement).
More information on this extensive process can be found on the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs Law Enforcement Accreditation Program site at http://www.waspc.org/accreditation.