For a quarter of a century the Covington Police Department has earned international accreditation, the first law enforcement agency in the state to earn that title and the tenth in the nation.

"It’s not often that one can say they’ve achieved a quarter of a century of excellence, but today the Covington Police Department can say that," bragged CPD Chief Stacey Cotton.

The assessment for accreditation takes place every three years and is conducted by a group of law enforcement professionals from around the country. The top three benefits of being accredited are a high quality of service in the community, a lower insurance rate with the department’s liability insurance company and a reduction in litigation against the department. According to Cotton, they have been rarely sued in the last 25 years.

"Why would you expect your police department, if possible, to be accredited?" asked Cotton. "I think in this world we want to be served by people in high-risk situations that are certified, accredited and who meet some kind of standards… We do these things, not because we have to, but because it is the right thing to do."