Accreditation is designed to ensure a police agency’s methods, policies, procedures and daily operations follow the highest standards of law enforcement. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel congratulated her Criminal Investigation Division on receiving accreditation through the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police at a conference Tuesday in Grand Rapids.
” The CID is looked upon as the highest-ranking police agency in the state. It’s important for them to follow the very best practices, which accreditation provides, and set an example for all the other agencies.”
It generally takes at least two years to go through the evaluations and hearings that examine all aspects of how a department operates. The CID developed guidelines on everything from security measures to evidence handling to community outreach.
“We’ve also successfully developed and implemented more than 19 training programs and certifications that incorporate best practices in law enforcement.”
Eleven other agencies received their first accreditation including the Grand Rapids Community College Police Department, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department, and the Sturgis Department of Public Service.
Agencies must undergo a renewal process every three years. This year, police departments in Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Portage, Zeeland and at Western Michigan University renewed their accreditations.
