Accreditation Assessment Team Invites Public Comment

(November 1, 2019) The Cornwall Police Service is scheduled for a site-based assessment as part of a program to achieve Basic Law Enforcement Accreditation by verifying it meets International law enforcement policing Standards.

Administered by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), the accreditation program requires agencies to comply with the gold Standards in public safety. The Cornwall Police Service voluntarily participates in this process by complying with 189 standards established by the commission in order to gain accredited status. The Standards cover virtually all areas of police service operations, including patrol, investigations, communications, finance, recruiting, personnel and training.

A team of Assessors from CALEA® will arrive on Monday, December 2, 2019 to examine all aspects of the Cornwall Police Service’s policies and procedures, management, operations and support services.

As part of the site-based assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. The session will be conducted in the Automotive Room located at the Benson Centre, 800 Seventh Street West, Cornwall, ON.

Anyone who is unable to attend the public information session, but who would still like to provide comments to the Assessment Team may do so by calling 613-930-7420 on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019 between the hours of 2:00 pm and 4:00 p.m.

Written comments will also be accepted as part of this process. Anyone wishing to submit written comments about the Cornwall Police Service’s ability to comply with the standards for Basic Law Enforcement Accreditation may send them to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA®) 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia 20155 (www.calea.org), or to the Cornwall Police Service “Attention CALEA Accreditation Assessment Team” 340 Pitt Street P.O. Box 875, Cornwall, Ontario K6H 5T7.

“The Cornwall Police Service is proud to take part in the accreditation program,” said Chief of Police, Danny Aikman. “Through this process, we are provided the opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to public safety, transparency, professionalism, and accountability by complying with International law enforcement standards.”

Telephone comments, as well as appearances at the public information session, 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 Cornwall Police Service and can be provided by contacting the Accreditation Manager, Carole Anne Levac, of the Quality Assurance Bureau at 613-933-5000 ext. 2403. Should you wish to attend the public session, please RSVP to Lori Greer at 613-933-5000 ext. 2407 or via email at [email protected].

“Once the CALEA® Assessors complete their review of our service, they report back to the full Commission. In March of 2020, the Chief of Police and the Accreditation Manager will appear before the Commission, who will then decide if the Cornwall Police Service is to be granted Basic Law Enforcement Accreditation status,” advised Carole Anne Levac.

Basic Law Enforcement Accreditation is awarded for a four-year period, during which time the agency must continue to submit annual reports attesting compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., please contact the Commission at:

Mail: 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320

Gainesville, Virginia 20155

Phone: (703) 352-4225

Email: [email protected]