Table Of ContentDFP
Rod R
NOV 0 7 2003 -
BSagojevich
Ilk j;S Governor
CHAMPAIGN
Larry G. Trent
Director
Douglas W. Brown
First Deputy Director
Law EnforcementAccreditation
The Illinois State Policehas againdemonstrated
that it is a model agency forthe future. Bybecoming
the first state police agency to be accredited by the
prestigious Commission on Accreditation for Law
Enforcement Agencies, the Illinois State Police has
shownthatitisontheleadingedgeoflawenforcement
inthe United States.
Theaccreditationconceptandpracticeisnotanew
one. Formanyyears, hospitals, universities and other
professional fields have undergone accreditation to
provecompliancewithasetofprofessionalstandards.
Accreditation, however, is relatively new to the law
enforcement field. The Illinois State Police made a
commitment to be the first state police agency in the
nationto become accredited. Successful accreditation
makes a statementto lawenforcementcolleagues and
otherprofessionalsalike,thattheIllinois State Police
meetstheveryhighestofstandards. Whenthe agency
became accredited in 1986 it was able to document
the fact that it stands as one of the finest police
agencies in the country. This standard ofexcellence
was demonstrated in 1991, 1996 and again in 2001
when the Illinois State Police was the first state
police agency in the nation to achieve and maintain
reaccreditedstatus.
The Commission on Accreditation for Law
Enforcement Agencies Inc., is an international
program which was formed in 1979 and is currently
sponsoredbytheInternationalAssociationofChiefs
ofPolice (IACP), theNational SheriffsAssociation
(NSA), the National Organization of Black Law
Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), and the Police
Executive Research Forum (PERF). This commis-
sion has developed a comprehensive set ofwritten
standards covering every aspect of law enforcement
policies, procedures, practices and operations. These
standardswere designedto:
• Increaselawenforcementagencycapabilitiesto
prevent andcontrol crime
• Increase agency effectiveness and efficiency in
the deliveryoflawenforcement services
• Increasecooperationwithotherlawenforcement
agencies
• Increaseemployeeandcitizenconfidence inthe
goals, objectives, policies and practices ofthe
accredited agencies
TheAccreditation Process
There are five (5) phases in the accreditation
process.
PhaseI: ~
Application '
This phase logically begins when the agency
makes written application to the Commission on
AccreditationforLaw EnforcementAgencies, Inc.
PhaseII:
AgencyProfile Questionnaire
.
Following application, the Commission solicits
valuable information from the agency in the form of
a questionnaire. This questionnaire provides details
regarding the agency's size, responsibilities and
functions, facilities, crime statistics, etc. From the
^
completedquestionnaire, the Commission determines
how many and which ofthe professional standards
mustbemetbythe agencytobe accredited.
PhaseIII: ”
""""
Self-Assessment
Once the Commission has determined the stan-
dardswithwhichthe agencymustcomply,theagency
is provided a listing ofthese standards. Upon review
of these standards, the agency begins an in-depth
comprehensiveanalysisofitsownpolicies,procedures,
and day to day operations. This in-house review
provides the agencywith a healthy examination ofits
own entire operation and helps to determine whether
the agencycancomplywiththe standards.
PhaseIV:
On-SiteAssessntent
After the agency is satisfied that it has achieved
compliance with the applicable standards, it notifies
the Commission. The Commission then identifies
an outside team of assessors or auditors, allows the
agency to examine the team to avoid any conflict of
interest,andthensendstheassessorstotheagency.The
assessors conduct an extensive review ofthe agency's
documented proofs ofcompliance to determine ifthe
agencycomplieswith eachofthe standards.
Phase V:
Commission Review andDecision
The on-site team submits a written report to the
Commission. Based on this report, the Commission
eithergrants full accreditationto the agency ordefers
accreditation status. In the event that accreditation is
deferred, the agency is notified ofthe necessary steps
to gainaccreditation.
Benefits ofLaw
EnforcementAccreditation
>—
Accreditation Benefitsforthe
Agency's ChiefExecutive Officer
andtheAgency's CommandStaff
1. Accreditationrequiresanin-depthreviewofevery
aspectoftheagency'sorganization,management,
operations andadministrationwhichincludes:
• Establishmentofagencygoalsandobjectives,
withprovision forperiodic updating
• Reevaluating of how agency resources are
being utilized-in accord with agency goals,
objectives, andmissionassignments
• Reevaluationofagencypoliciesandprocedures
especially as documented in the agency's
writtendirective system
• Allowing the agency an opportunity to cor-
rect deficiencies before they become public
problems
2. The accreditation standards provide neutral
guidelines fordevelopingstrongbudgetjustifica-
tions-especiallyforpersonnelandtheirallocation
across functions and activities.
3. Theaccreditationstandardsprovidenormsagainst
which agency performance can be measured and
monitoredovertime.
4. Accreditationprovidestheagencywithacontinu-
ingflowofinformationaboutexemplarypolicies,
procedures, and projects as distributed by the
Commission.
5. Accreditationprovidestheagencyanopportunity
to participate in the development of new and
revised standards.
6. Accreditationprovidesrecognitionthattheagency's
managerial and operational policies and proce-
duresareinaccordwithabodyofnationwidestan-
dards-and that the agency has made a concerted
efforttoobtainprofessional status.
— Accreditation BenefitsforAll Other —
Members oftheAgencyIncluding
Sworn and Civilian Employees
1. Accreditation assures that agency policies and
procedures are in written form and are available
to all agencypersonnel.
2 Accreditationassuresagencypersonnelthatevery
.
aspect ofits personnel system is in accord with
a nationwide standard and that it is both fair
andequitable.
3. Accreditationenhancesthemoraleofagencyperson-
nelbuilding the confidence of employees in the
effectivenessandefficiencyoftheirownagency.
—
Accreditation Benefitsfor
NeighboringLawEnforcement
and CriminalJusticeAgencies
1. Accreditation promotes relationships with other
lawenforcementagencies,aswellasprosecutors,
courts, correctional agencies, and state and local
governmental officials.
2. Accreditation requires the establishment of
mutual aid agreementsbetween lawenforcement
agencies. Such agreements are in writing and
wellunderstoodbyall parties.
3. Accreditationpromotes standardizationofopera-
tional policies-thereby increasing efficiency in
handling calls for assistance, referrals, andjoint
investigations.
Accreditation requires participation in statewide
radio,fingerprint,criminalinformationandcrime
reporting systems.
—Accreditation BenefitsforState, County,—
andLocal Governments and
TheirElectedLeaders andAppointed
Managers andAdministrators
1. Accreditation provides assurance that a govern-
mentalunit'slawenforcementagencyisdelivering
a high level ofservice to citizens in the agency's
service area.
2. Accreditation provides objective measures in
justifying decisions relating to budget requests
andpersonnelpolicies.
3. Accreditation reduces the likelihood ofvicarious
liability suits againstthe agency.
4. Accreditation can reduce the cost of liability
insurance forthe agency.
““Accreditation Benefitsfor Citizens
in theAgencyfsServiceArea 1
1. Accreditationdemonstratesthecommitmentofthe
agency to professionalismin terms ofadherence
to abodyofnational standards.
2 Accreditationenhancescommunityunderstanding
.
ofthelawenforcementagency'sroleaswellasits
goals andobjectives.
3. Accreditation assures the community that its
law enforcement agency is committed to the
provision of services ofthe highest quality and
that its policies and procedures are effective and
responsiveontheonehand,andfairandequitable
onthe other.
4. Accreditationcommitstheagencytoabroadrange
ofprograms ofdirect benefit to the public (e.g.,
communitycrimeprevention)aswellasprograms
to copewithman-made ornatural disasters.
5. Accreditation promotes community cooperation
andunderstanding.
For more information write or call:
The Commission onAccreditation for
LawEnforcementAgencies, Inc.
10306 Eaton Place, Suite 320
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
1-800-368-3737
www.calea.org
Or Contact:
Accreditation Manager
Illinois State Police
201 EastAdams, Suite 300
Springfield, Illinois 62701-1100
(217) 782-0492
http://www.state.il.us/isp/
Dear Illinois Citizen:
The Illinois State Police voluntarily
undergoes the intensive scrutiny and
peer review required by the Commission
on Accreditation for Law Enforcement
Agencies in order to document to the
citizens ofthe State ofIllinois that their
state police are among the finest in the
nation. The high standards under which
the agency operates are proven through
the accreditation and reaccreditation
process.
The ongoing reaccreditation process
continues to demonstrate to Illinois
citizens that the Illinois State Police
maintains compliance with the profes-
sional standards called for by the law
enforcement community and profession.
By becoming the first state police
agencyto beaccredited, andbymaintain-
ing that accreditation, the Illinois State
Police is proving that the trust of the
citizens of Illinois is well-founded. The
Illinois State Police is continuing to live
up to its motto of"Integrity, Service and
Pride."
Very trulyyours,
Larry G. Trent
Director
Illinois State Police
Printed bytheAuthorityofthe StateofIllinois
6M ISP2-290 (9/03)
www.illinois.gov www.isp.state.il.us
in
P.O. 125
E. Director
Box ILLINOIS
MonroeLarry
19461
G.
— STATE
Room Trent
103
POLICE
