A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will visit Georgia Tech on March 25 to examine all aspects of its Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services, Chief Teresa Crocker announced today.

The assessment team’s verification that the Georgia Tech Police Department meets the Commission's standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation—and a recognition of public safety professional excellence, she said.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on March 26 at 4:30 p.m. in room 152 of the Clough Undergraduate Learning Center.

Individuals who cannot attend the public information session but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team may do so by telephone.  The public is invited to call 404-385-3269 on March 26 between the hours of 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.

Comments are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency's ability to comply with CALEA standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Georgia Tech Police Department at 879 Hemphill Avenue, Atlanta, 30332. The local contact is Lt. Mark Beebe, 404-894-2653.

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Georgia Tech Police Department's ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write:  Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155.

The Georgia Tech Police Department has to comply with 480 standards in order to gain accredited status, Chief Crocker said.

The CALEA Program Manager for Georgia Tech Police Department is Stephen Mitchell.  He said the assessment team is composed of public safety practitioners from similar, but out-of-state agencies.  The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other locations where compliance can be witnessed.

The assessors will be Assistant Chief Dean Tondiglia of the Kent State University Police Department and Ms. Tami Warren of the North Carolina Justice Academy.

Once the CALEA Assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status, Mr. Mitchell stated.

Accreditation is for three years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.