The Houston Independent School District Police Department and a team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies will host a public forum next week as part of the department’s re-accreditation process.
It has been 13 years since the department first achieved accreditation, becoming the only school district police department in the nation to achieve such a feat. This summer, the department is seeking its fourth renewal of the designation, and they need your input.
The public forum will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, July 11, at department headquarters on 3500 Tampa St. The session is an opportunity for community members, agency personnel, and other interested individuals to voice comments about the department’s compliance with applicable standards or other significant issues.
“The forum gives community members and other stakeholders a chance to learn more about the accreditation process, and express any questions or comments they may have about the department’s accountability and standards,” said HISD Chief of Police Robert Mock. “HISD Police remains committed to excellence in law enforcement, and we welcome the CALEA accreditation committee and the public to our event.”
Undertaken every three years, the voluntary re-accreditation process helps verify that the department continues to meet the commission’s 189 rigorous standards. The CALEA assessment team — composed of law enforcement professionals from similar, but out-of-state agencies — will be in Houston from July 10 to 13 to examine all aspects of police policy, operations, and services.
Once complete, the review is submitted to the commission for a final determination on re-accreditation. If granted, the agency must submit annual reviews attesting to its continued compliance with commission standards. A copy of these standards is available for review in Room 103 of HISD Police headquarters.
Individuals who can’t attend the public meeting may submit comments by calling 713-842-3715 from 2 to 4 p.m. on July 12. All comments — in person and via telephone — are limited to 10 minutes and must address the department’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. Written comments may be submitted by fax to 713-842-3752 or by mail to Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Ste. 320, Gainesville, Virginia, 20155.
For more information, contact HISD Police Accreditation Manager Angela Laster-King at 713-842-3715 or visit www.calea.org.