Arlington Police Department Awarded Full State Accreditation Status

For Immediate Release
Monday, Oct. 6, 2014

Contact: Captain Richard Flynn, PIO
Office: 781-316-3907
Cell: 781-844-1224
Email: rflynn@town.arlington.ma.us

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Arlington Police Department Awarded Full State Accreditation Status

ARLINGTON — Police Chief Frederick Ryan is very pleased to announce that the Arlington Police Department has received full state accreditation status from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC).

Accreditation is a self-initiated evaluation process by which police departments strive to meet and maintain the highest standards of law enforcement practice. It is considered the best measure of a police department against the established best practices around the country and region.

“Achieving full accreditation confirms that the Arlington Police Department is in line with the highest possible standards of policing, and that we are delivering the best level of service to our community,” Chief Ryan said. “I am proud that the Arlington Police Department has taken its place as one of the most professional policing agencies in New England.”

The process includes an intense self-review and an external assessment by the Commission’s external team of subject matter experts.

The MPAC program includes 257 mandatory police department standards and 125 optional standards. In order to achieve accreditation, a department must meet all required standards and at least 60 percent of the optional ones. Standards that are reviewed include: Jurisdiction and Mutual Aid, Collection and Preservation of Evidence, Communications, Working Conditions, Crime Analysis, Community Involvement, Financial Management, Internal Affairs, Juvenile Operations, Patrol, Administration, Public Information, Records, Traffic, Training, Drug Enforcement, and Victim/Witness Assistance.

“Going through the process initially requires intense self-scrutiny, and ultimately provides a quality assurance review of the agency,” said Donna Taylor Mooers, the MPAC Executive Director. “Achieving Accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission is a very significant accomplishment and a recognition highly regarded by the law enforcement community.”

To conduct the initial self-assessment and prepare for the on-site review, Chief Ryan appointed Captain Richard Flynn in 2012 to serve as the Department’s Accreditation Manager.

The Department was assessed in May by a team of Commission-appointed assessors.  The Assessment Team found the Department to be in full compliance with all applicable standards for Accreditation. The award was given at ceremony on Thursday, Oct 2, at the Boston College Connors Center in Dover.

The Commission offers two program awards: Certification and Accreditation, with Accreditation being the higher of the two.  Accreditation has been granted for a period of three years.  Participation in the program is strictly voluntary.

“The residents and business owners of Arlington can have confidence in their police department that it has opened itself up to external review, and the results were extraordinary,” said Arlington Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine. “On behalf of the entire town, I am very proud of the work the Arlington Police Department has done to achieve accreditation.”

“Accreditation, and going through the intense accreditation process, shows that the Arlington Police Department is properly trained and prepared to handle any emergency that comes our way,” said Steven M Byrne, Chairman of the Arlington Board of Selectmen. “This is truly a badge of honor for Arlington,”

Massachusetts is one of twenty-four states that offer an accreditation process for its police departments. Arlington is one of only 45 municipal police departments in the state to achieve full accreditation.

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