North Reading Police Receive Accreditation for the Sixth Time from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission

NORTH READING — The North Reading Police is proud to announce that the department has achieved accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC) for the sixth time on Tuesday. 

On Tuesday, Feb. 17, North Reading Police were awarded accreditation for the sixth time since 2011. 

Accreditation is a self-initiated, lengthy, and comprehensive evaluation process. Participating departments complete an internal self-review and an external assessment by MPAC experts. The process is a voluntary evaluation by which police departments strive to meet and maintain the top standards of law enforcement. It is considered the best measure for a police department to compare itself against the established best practices around the country and region.

The department was assessed on October 21 by a team of commission-appointed assessors. The Assessment Team found the department to be in compliance with all applicable standards for re-accreditation. 

The Massachusetts Police Accreditation Program consists of 274 mandatory standards as well as 120 optional standards. In order to achieve accreditation status, the Department must meet all applicable mandatory standards as well as 55 percent of the optional standards. Standards include maintaining up-to-date policies on 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.

Achieving accreditation is a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence. The North Reading Police accreditation effort was overseen by Accreditation Manager Sgt. Timothy King, and Accreditation Team members Sgt. Joseph Aleo and Sgt. Michael Marra. 

“Receiving re-accreditation was a significant and meaningful achievement for the North Reading Police Department,” said Chief Zimmerman. “Accreditation is a reflection of our continued commitment to professionalism, accountability, and adherence to best practices in law enforcement. For a relatively small department, this accomplishment required a substantial organizational effort. Officers were required to assume additional responsibilities beyond their routine duties, including policy review, documentation, evidence management, and compliance verification. This collective effort demonstrated the department’s dedication to maintaining high standards of service and operational excellence, despite limited staffing resources. Successfully completing the accreditation assessment is a testament to the professionalism, adaptability, and teamwork of our personnel.”