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Fayetteville PD waits for accreditation answer

By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

Fayetteville Police Department officials will find out in March if they will retain their national re-accreditation status for three more years.

A three-man assessment team from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) arrived Nov. 6 to inspect the police department, and they left no stone unturned. Fayetteville Police Chief Johnny Roberts welcomed the inspection.

“The prospect of becoming a re-accredited agency is an honor for both our department and the citizens we serve,” Roberts said in a prepared statement. “The accreditation process has guided our efforts to provide the citizens of Fayetteville with the highest quality of service, while maintaining a community policing perspective.”

The team, comprised of officers from Port Huron, Mich., Cincinnati, Ohio, and Leesburg, Va., inspected everything from policies and procedures to the administration, operations and support services.

The assessors also gave residents input. Teachers, school board members, hospital officials and other citizens spoke out during a public information session held from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday.

FPD’s Accreditation Manager Lt. Beverly Trainor is pleased with what residents had to say about the department.

“They were all positive comments for the police department,” she beamed.

Trainor, who has seen the department through its second accreditation process, admits going through the procedure again was a challenge. Trainor, who has served as the accreditation manager for five years, said it takes three years to prepare.

“It’s always tough when people come through and critique what you do, but we got through it just fine,” she said from her Johnson Avenue office.

The inspection is over, but now comes the tougher part — the wait.

“We'll be going to Birmingham, Ala., in March,” said Trainor, who also doubles as one of the department’s official spokesmen. “We’ll go in front of the commission, they’ll ask questions, review our information and make their recommendation right then and there.”

The department’s last on-site inspection was in December 2001. The agency received their first accreditation at the commission’s next quarterly meeting in March 2002, Trainor said.

Although no decision has been made, Trainor said the assessors gave feedback about the department’s performance.

“They told us how much they enjoyed our department and they are pleased with what they’ve seen, and they will make their recommendation in March,” Trainor said.