Volume 35, No. 2 - March/April 2005 Campus Law ... - IACLEA

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Member News Mount Holyoke College Department of Public Safety Awarded Accreditation On January 28, 2005 the Mount Holyoke College Department of Public Safety became the first college or university in the state to receive accreditation status from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission, Inc., and is one of only fifteen agencies statewide to achieve this status. Accreditation is a self-initiated evaluation process by which law enforcement departments strive to meet and maintain standards that have been established for the profession, by the profession. These carefully selected standards reflect critical areas of police management, operations, and technical support activities. They cover areas such as policy development, emergency response planning, training, communications, property and evidence handling, use of force, and prisoner transport. The program not only sets standards for the law enforcement profession within the Commonwealth, but also for the delivery of police services to the community. Achieving accreditation from the commission is the highest award given, and is a recognition that is highly regarded by the law enforcement community. Participating in the program and achieving accreditation status allows departments to demonstrate that they are among the finest in the state. The status of accreditation is granted for a period of three years. Participation in the program is strictly voluntary. Under the leadership of Director Paul Ominsky, the Mount Holyoke College Department of Public Safety underwent a two-day assessment in December by a team of commission-appointed assessors. The Assessment Team found the Department to be “in compliance with all 103 Mandatory Standards.” And although the department was required to meet 60 percent of the 121 Optional Standards, it was found to be in compliance with 68 percent of those standards, exceeding the required minimum. Going through the process initially requires intense self-scrutiny, and ultimately provides a quality assurance review of the agency. In 1999, Director Ominsky appointed Barbara Arrighi and Jeanne Tripp to serve as the Department’s Accreditation Managers. The Department achieved certification, a halfway point to accreditation, in June 2003. This involved meeting 151 mandatory standards. The Department was also the first college or university to attain that status. The Accreditation Managers were aided greatly in this effort by three Mount Holyoke College student administrative Fellows, Sarah E. Hayes ’05, Kirkley B. Strand ’04, and Stephanie M. Liotta ’03. Although the Director’s goal for the Department has been achieved, Arrighi’s and Tripp’s job is not done. Their focus will now shift to monitoring and maintaining compliance with these standards and preparing for scheduled reviews by the commission as they continue as the department’s Accreditation Managers. To date, only 15 police agencies in the Commonwealth have achieved the distinction of accreditation: Amesbury, Amherst, Danvers, Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, Mendon, Mount Holyoke College, Northampton, Northborough, Peabody, Rowley, Sturbridge, Truro, Waltham, Watertown, and Weston. Origin and Composition of the Commission The mission of the Accreditation Commission is to ensure that the delivery of police services within the Commonwealth is at the highest level of professionalism and integrity. The Massachusetts Accreditation Commission was originally established in 1996 through the combined efforts of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Coalition and the Executive Office of Public Safety. In February 2004 the Commission transitioned from a state agency into a private non-profit organization. The Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission, Inc. maintained the same standards, and recognized certification and accreditation status awarded by the state agency. The Commission is composed of eleven members appointed through the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police, the Massachusetts Police Association, the Massachusetts Municipal Association and the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Coalition, as well as a representative from an academic institution with demonstrated expertise in deliverance of law enforcement and public safety services. Benefits of Accreditation The standards for accreditation impact officer and public safety, address high liability/risk management issues, and pro- Continued on page 12 MARCH/APRIL 2005 / 11
Member News January/February New Members Institutional Membership Berklee College of Music Richard N. Michaud, CPP California at Davis, University of Rita Spaur Charleston, College of Paul V. Verrecchia Cornell College Michael Williamson Dubuque, University of Lori Olson Georgia, The University of Opal D. Haley Grambling State University Garry Williams Grand Rapids Community College Cindy C. Kennell Guelph, University of Don Hawkins Illinois Institute of Technology Steven H. Rubin, PCI Lee University Ashley R. Mew Los Angeles Community College District Roosevelt Blow Millikin University John R. Mickler North Carolina Central University McDonald Vick Pacific - McGeorge School of Law, University of Alan J. Smith St. Francis, University of Perry Plarski St. Paul’s School George J. Pangakis St. Lawrence University Patrick W. Gagnon Siena Heights College Cindy Birdwell Smith College Scott Graham Sullivan University Ken Adair Trent University Louise Fish York University Anne-Marie Mair Professional Membership Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine at Peoria, University of Wayne Holly Massachusetts – Boston, University of Richard W. Lee Mills College Daniel Brown Northwest Arkansas Community College Walter Middleton Oakland Community College Mark Seder San Jose State University Jim Renelle Villanova University John Shuter Wisconsin – Madison, University of Peter Ystenes Yale University George R. Aylward Supporting Membership Kings III Emergency Communications Kyle Hamilton LRP Publications Cynthia Brodrick Zetron, Inc. Mark Musick Mount Holyoke College Department of Public Safety Awarded Accreditation Continued from page 11 mote operational efficiency throughout the agency. The benefits of accreditation are many and will vary among participating departments based on the state of the department when it enters the process. In other words, the benefits will be better known when the department quantifies the changes that it had to make as a direct result of achieving accreditation. Generally, these changes involve policy writing, facility improvements and equipment purchases. Listed below are some of the more common benefits of accreditation status: • provides a norm for an agency to judge its performance. • provides a basis to correct deficiencies before they become public problems. • requires agencies to commit policies and procedures to writing. • promotes accountability among agency personnel and the evenhanded application of policies. • provides a means of independent evaluation of agency operations. • minimizes an agency’s exposure to liability, builds a stronger defense against lawsuits and citizen complaints, and has the potential to reduce liability insurance costs • enhances the reputation of the agency and increases the public’s confidence in it. Recent events in the U.S. and throughout the world underscore the need to reassure the general public that the law enforcement profession is prepared, trained, and ready to handle future emergencies and calls for service. Agency preparedness begins with having a formal written directive system that incorporates professional state-of-the-art standards into agency policy, rules, procedures and plans. By achieving accreditation, the Mount Holyoke College Department of Public Safety demonstrates its capabilities to respond to the public safety needs of the community. 12 / Campus Law Enforcement Journal
Page 1 and 2: MARCH/APRIL 2005 / 43
Page 3 and 4: President’s Message See You in Ka
Page 5 and 6: Letter to the Editor Association Ne
Page 7 and 8: Association News Incident Command T
Page 9 and 10: Association News Strategic Planning
Page 11: Member News Campus Police Departmen
Page 15 and 16: Member News University of Central F
Page 17 and 18: Dashboard Management, A Public Safe
Page 19 and 20: Dashboard Management, A Public Safe
Page 21 and 22: International Association of Campus
Page 23 and 24: The New Era of Campus Public Safety
Page 25 and 26: The New Era of Campus Public Safety
Page 27 and 28: 26 / Campus Law Enforcement Journal
Page 29 and 30: Awareness of Weapons of Mass Destru
Page 31 and 32: The Use of Electro-Magnetic Disrupt
Page 33 and 34: The Use of Electro-Magnetic Disrupt
Page 35 and 36: 34 / Campus Law Enforcement Journal
Page 37 and 38: Arson Assault Vandalism Intoxicatio
Page 39 and 40: President’s Message Continued fro
Page 41 and 42: Strategic Planning Group Focuses on

Volume 35, No. 2 - March/April 2005 Campus Law ... - IACLEA

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?