For the very first time Huntsville is hosting hundreds of public safety leaders working to hold law enforcement to a higher standard.
One local police department even hopes to end the week with a new accreditation. Madison Police Department plans to join the only five percent of law enforcement agencies in the country accredited by the internationally recognized organization.
Earning the stamp of approval by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, or CALEA, is no small feat. For six years Madison Police Department officers have worked toward this week, when hundreds of CALEA allies swarm Huntsville to show the commission what their department’s made of.
“Very few agencies can achieve this,” said Captain John Stringer. “We believe the citizens of Madison deserve this. It’s about setting standards, working up to them, living up to them.”
CALEA leaders say 95% percent of law enforcement agencies haven’t gone through this. Why?
“It’s just because you have to open yourself up to it,” said Vince Dauro, CALEA regional program manager. “It’s a lot of work making sure that you meet international standards and you don’t mind having people come in your agency, say ‘no, you’re not doing this right.'”
But it’s a process every Madison County Law Enforcement Agency has stepped up to. It’s also one that’s changed throughout the years with technology.
“One of the big ones now a days is cameras, body cameras,” Dauro said. “How is it gonna be used? Why is it gonna be used?”
MPD just got police body cameras last year. To get the accreditation they have to prove they’re using them the right way.
“Our officers, I think our officers love them,” said Stringer. “Not only can we tape the interaction that we’re having but we’re also recording evidence at the same time.”
Proving MPD is transparent is a big reason why Stringer says the accreditation is so important. For the community it means another layer of trust beyond the badge.
The CALEA conference lasts through the weekend and on Saturday MPD will find out if they’ll have CALEA backing their name.
