In July, the Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) received its fourth accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). This prestigious accreditation represents GTPD’s commitment to meeting the highest professional standards in the field of public safety.
The importance of CALEA accreditation
CALEA accreditation enables public safety agencies to voluntarily meet a comprehensive set of professional standards, including:
- Comprehensive and consistent written instructions: Clearly define authorities, performance and responsibilities to ensure that all policies and procedures are consistently followed.
- Reporting and analytics: Enable fact-based and informed management decisions.
- Critical incident preparation: Be well prepared to respond effectively to critical incidents of a natural or man-made nature.
- Building and maintaining community relationships: Building strong relationships with the community to increase public trust and cooperation.
- Independent review by subject matter experts: Ensure that practices and procedures are reviewed by external experts to maintain high standards.
- Continuous pursuit of excellence: Conducting annual reviews and other evaluation measures to maintain and improve performance.
A legacy of excellence
In 2022, the GTPD Emergency Communications Center made history when it received CALEA accreditation. It was the first university-based communications center/operations center in the state of Georgia to receive national accreditation. This milestone underscored GTPD’s leadership in public safety and its commitment to setting new standards of excellence.
Moving forward
GTPD remains committed to continuous improvement and excellence in public safety. The fourth CALEA accreditation is a testament to the department’s unwavering commitment to serving and protecting the Georgia Tech community.
For more information about the GTPD and its initiatives, visit police.gatech.edu
