A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies will arrive April 29 to examine all aspects of the Covington Police Department's policies and procedures, management, operations and support services, Police Chief Stacey Cotton said recently.

Verification by the team that the CPD meets the commission's state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation - a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence, he said.

In 1985, the department was the first agency in Georgia and the 10th in the nation to be accredited.

Accreditation is now an international program with agencies from Canada and Mexico being accredited.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session at 6 p.m. April 30. The session will be conducted in the Municipal Courtroom located in the police department building at 1143 Oak Street, SE.

If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public session, but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, he or she may do so by telephone. The public may call (678) 625-5544 on April 30 between the hours of 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The phone line will be in the assessors' work area, unscreened and unrecorded.

Telephone comments, as well as appearances at the public session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency's ability to comply with CALEA's standards. A copy of the standards is available at the police department.
Local contact is Sergeant Chuck Groover at (770) 385-2199.

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Covington Police Department's ability to meet the standards for re-accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., 13575Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155.