MANSFIELD — The Mansfield Police Department is one step closer to a seventh straight national accreditation, according to Safety-Service Director Keith Porch.
Porch told City Council members on Tuesday the department recently concluded visits and meetings with assessors from the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
It’s a distinction granted to less than 5 percent of law enforcement agencies across the country, he said.
Porch said the MPD chose three focus areas through the accreditation process: internal affairs, use of force and the public communications center.
“When the assessors arrive to the police department, they take extra care and pay particular attention to those areas,” he said.
“I’m proud to report to council that zero findings were found throughout the accreditation process, especially in those three areas of focus.
“The assessor could not inform the mayor that the police department will be re-accredited because that re-accreditation will take place with the police department out in Omaha, Nebraska in July,” Porch said.
He said Chief Jason Bammann and his command staff will go in front of the commission for the final re-accreditation decision at the CALEA summer conference.
“I have no doubt that they’ll definitely succeed in that. It’s important to note that only 5 percent of law enforcement agencies in this country have accreditation and (the Mansfield Police Department) is one. So we should be very proud of that fact,” said Porch, the department’s former chief.
If re-accredited, it would mark 20 straight years the MPD has been awarded the distinction.
The decision to seek national re-accreditation is a voluntary, internally-driven move by a law enforcement agency, according to CALEA, which calls such re-accreditation the “gold standard” of law enforcement.
Porch also reported the new hazmat spill truck for the Mansfield Fire Department has been received from the manufacturer and has been sent off for decals and markings.
“(Chief Dan Crow) expects to have that in service in May, so the old hazmat truck will be put out of service,” Porch said.
“Obviously, it had a lot of years on it and (we’re) looking forward to having modern, up-to-date equipment for the fire department. I know that the chief’s excited to have it,” Porch said.
