Friday, October 25, 2013

Public Notice-Transit Police seek Re-Accreditation

To our Community Partners:
PUBLIC NOTICE
 The MBTA Transit Police is seeking re-accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies based in Gainsville, VA.   The Accreditation standards provide a quality assurance review of an agency and prioritize high liability concerns as well as officer and community safety areas that are critical to a professional police department. Accreditation is a voluntary, internal process by which the Department seeks to achieve, objectively verify, and maintain high quality in our operations through periodic evaluations conducted by an independent, non-governmental body that has established industry standards.  The Department has been working toward Re-Accreditation, which takes place every three years.  During each Re-Accreditation period, the Department must show it is continuing to comply with the standards by showing updated and continuing proofs of compliance.  An on-site Assessment Team will visit the Department next week to inspect and verify that the Department continues to adhere to the Accreditation standards.
 As part of that process we are required to notify our community members and ask them to participate in the process.  You may call into the Commission regarding our effort to be reaccredited.   I have attached a document that outlines the process and have noted the phone number below.   Please take the time to contact them either by phone next week or by writing to them at the address listed.
 Thank you for your continued partnership and support.
 
Chief MacMillan
MBTA Transit Police Department
240 Southampton Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02118
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PUBLIC NOTICE
Beginning Sunday, October 27, 2013 through Tuesday, October 29, 2013, the MBTA Transit Police Department is scheduled for an on-site assessment as part of a program to achieve re-accreditation by verifying it meets professional standards.


Administered by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), the accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state-of-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services.
As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments by calling 617- 222-1154 on Monday, October 28, 2013, between the hours of 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Comments will be taken by the Assessment Team.
Telephone comments 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 by contacting Officer Roberta Spinosa at 617-222-1014, at MBTA Transit Police Headquarters located at 240 Southampton Street, Boston, MA.
Anyone wishing to submit written comments about the MBTA Transit Police Department’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainsville, Virginia, 20155, visit
www.calea.org, or call (800) 368-3757 or (703) 352-4225.

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