New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Police Department Accreditation
The Croton on Hudson Police Department is working towards receiving accreditation under the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. Such accreditation is a thorough and rigorous process of ensuring a department is up to the prescribed one hundred and ten standards in the categories of Administration, operations, and training. These standards ensure the highest level of professionalism, optimal service to the public, and that the department is working within the confines of the laws of the State, the Nation, and both the New York and Federal Constitutions.
From the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Accreditation introduction:
“Accreditation is a progressive and contemporary way of helping police agencies evaluate and improve their overall performance. It provides formal recognition that an organization meets or exceeds general expectations of quality in the field. Accreditation acknowledges the implementation of policies that are conceptually sound and operationally effective.
The New York State program became operational in 1989 and encompasses four principle goals:
- To increase the effectiveness and efficiency of law enforcement agencies utilizing existing personnel, equipment, and facilities to the extent possible;
- To promote increased cooperation and coordination among law enforcement agencies and other agencies of the criminal justice services;
- To ensure the appropriate training of law enforcement personnel; and
- To promote public confidence in law enforcement agencies.
The Accreditation Program is comprised of a set of standards developed to further enhance the capabilities of an agency, and is divided into three categories. Standards in the Administrative section have provisions for such topics as agency organization, fiscal management, personnel practices, and records management. Training standards encompass basic and in-service instruction, as well as training for supervisors and specialized or technical assignments. Operations standards deal with such critical and litigious topics as high-speed pursuits, roadblocks, patrol, and unusual occurrences.”
The process of getting ready to apply for accreditation has taken several years and numerous officers working hundreds of staff hours to meet the requirements. This in addition to the performing the regular police duties of all officers involved. All standards must be a part of the department’s book of rules, regulations, and policies. Croton has rewritten the hundreds of pages of rules, regulations, and policy manual to be in full compliance. Standards will be checked against all departmental memorandums, orders, and directives to verify that the department complies throughout all aspects of the department.
The Chief of police will apply for accreditation in 2022. After an application is accepted, the next step is for a team of two to three New York Accreditation inspectors to come to Croton to review the Rules, Regulations, and Policies book, and to verify through observation that all officers not only know such policies and standards but that they are adhering to them in the performance of their duties.
Once accreditation is achieved, the department must maintain all standards and pass periodic inspections to maintain the status of accreditation. The department must reapply for accreditation every five years. It is a difficult journey but one worth achieving and one of great benefit to the department and the citizens the department serves.
As of August 2022, of the approximately one hundred and sixty-four accredited departments in New York State, twenty of Westchester’s forty-five police departments are accredited. The Croton on Hudson Police Department looks forward to becoming a member of this elite group.
For additional information, please see
www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/ops/accred/
This article was written by members of the Police Advisory Committee as part of the Community Information Project.