The Buckeye Police Department is an internationally accredited law enforcement agency and Public Safety Communications Center. Successful accreditation makes a statement to residents, law enforcement colleagues and other professionals that the Police Department meets, or exceeds, the very highest standards of law enforcement excellence. The agency was accredited initially 2016. Additionally, the Communications Center was accredited in 2019. The Buckeye Police Department was the first dual CALEA accredited agency in the state of Arizona.

Standards

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) is an international program founded by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), National Sheriff's Association (NSA), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). The Commission has developed a comprehensive set of written standards covering every aspect of law enforcement and communications policies, procedures, practices and operations. These standards were designed to:

• Increase law enforcement agency capabilities to prevent and control crime
• Increase agency effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of law enforcement services
• Increase cooperation with other law enforcement agencies
• Increase employee and citizen confidence in the goals, objectives, policies and practices of the accredited agencies
• Reduce liability to the municipality by requiring an up-to-date policy manual reflecting the best professional practices in law enforcement
• Hold the agency accountable by regular on-site inspections and commission review

The Buckeye Police Department must comply with the commission’s 484 law enforcement standards and 213 communications standards in order to achieve accreditation. Because this process is so rigorous, only 3% of law enforcement agencies nationwide choose to become accredited. It is a highly valued mark of professional excellence for an agency to voluntarily participate in CALEA.

Benefits to Citizens

• Accreditation demonstrates the commitment of the agency to professionalism in the law enforcement field
• Accreditation assures the community that its law enforcement agency is committed to the provision of services of the highest quality, and that its policies and procedures are effective, responsive and up-to-date
• Accreditation commits the agency to a broad range of programs of direct benefit to the public as well as policies and procedures to cope with man-made or natural disasters
• Accreditation promotes community cooperation and understanding

The CALEA Review Process

CALEA conducts regular, in-depth reviews of agencies in the accreditation process. Beginning in 2017, the commission will conduct annual off-site reviews of the Buckeye Police Department’s law enforcement and communications programs, including a policy and practices review, proofs of compliance and an annual Agency Status Report. Every year, CALEA will send an assessment team to the Buckeye Police Department Communications Center for a multi-day on-site inspection.

The Buckeye Police Department welcomes public comment of our law enforcement and public safety communications programs as part of our on-going effort to maintain accreditation through CALEA. To submit a comment online, visit the Accreditation Public Comment Portal for the Buckeye Police Department.

Learn More About Accreditation

The public can learn more about CALEA and the accreditation process by visiting http://www.calea.org/.

For more information about Buckeye’s involvement in the process, you may contact our Accreditation Manager:

Ed Goodman
Phone: 623-349-6465
Email: egoodman@buckeyeaz.gov