The Bloomington Police Department was awarded the National CALEA Re-Accreditation on Tuesday.
The recognition from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., is a national gold standard in law enforcement that acknowledges commitment to community-oriented policing.
“It requires the department to be in compliance with 180 standards that have been chosen by both experts in the field of law enforcement as well as subject matter experts,'' Captain Ryan Pedigo said. He said that ensures Bloomington is applying the highest standard of policing.
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To be accredited, all department policies and practices must be reviewed. Only about 5% of United States law enforcement agencies are CALEA accredited.
This is the second time BPD has been awarded this Tier 1 accreditation status. The award lasts for four years and re-accreditation is beneficial, Pedigo said. He said it allows for greater accountability within the department.
He said the accreditation puts the Bloomington Police Department in good standing when there are public outcries for changes in policing. It shows the community the department implements these changes on its own without protest, while providing professional policing services to the community.
