HISD Police Department to host public forum as part of national re-accreditation process

HISD PD is nation’s only accredited school district law enforcement agency

The Houston Independent School District Police Department and a team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) will host a public forum as part of the department’s re-accreditation process.

The HISD Police Department became the first school district law enforcement agency in the nation to achieve CALEA accreditation in 2008. This year, the department is seeking its eighth renewal.

The public forum will be held Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. at HISD police headquarters located at 3500 Tampa Street. The session is an opportunity for parents, students, 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 provides the community with an opportunity to offer input on our operations,” HISD Chief of Police Paul Cordova said. “We welcome the feedback. We are proud to be the country’s only CALEA-accredited department, and we are excited to invite the accreditation committee and the public to our event.”

Every four years, the voluntary re-accreditation process helps verify that police departments continue to meet the commission’s 189 rigorous standards. The CALEA assessment team — comprised of law enforcement professionals from similar, out-of-state agencies — will be in Houston Feb. 24 through 26 to examine all aspects of HISD police policy, operations, and services. 

Once completed, the review will be submitted to the commission. If granted, the department must submit annual reviews attesting to its continued compliance with commission standards. A copy of these standards is available for review at HISD Police headquarters. 

Individuals who cannot attend the public meeting may submit comments by calling 713-842-3715 on Feb. 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. All comments are limited to 10 minutes and must only address the department’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. 

Written comments may be submitted via email by to hisdpd@houstonisd.org or via mail to Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Ste. 320, Gainesville, Virginia, 20155 by Feb. 25.

For more information, contact HISD Police Accreditation Manager Raphael Breda at 713-842-3715 or visit www.calea.org.