Cabarrus Today

The Concord Police Department is pursuing national accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), recognized as a benchmark in public safety standards. The department is currently in the third phase of a five-step process, which includes a site-based assessment by CALEA and opportunities for public input.

On April 4, CALEA assessors will conduct a comprehensive virtual evaluation of Concord PD's policies, procedures, management, operations, and support services. This assessment aims to determine if the department meets the 180 standards required for Level I accreditation.

The community is encouraged to participate by providing comments on Concord PD’s compliance with CALEA standards. Comments can be submitted via phone at (704) 920-5597 on April 4 between 3 and 5 p.m., during a virtual public hearing at 5 p.m. via Zoom, by email to calea@calea.org with "Concord Police Department" in the subject line, or by mail to CALEA's address in Gainesville, Virginia.

After the assessment, assessors will report their findings to the full Commission. The Commission will then decide on granting accreditation to Concord PD. If approved, this would be Concord PD’s first national accreditation, valid for four years with annual reports and assessments required for continued compliance.

For further details about CALEA and its accreditation process, contact them at (703) 352-4225 or visit their website.