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A recruiter with Edmonton Police Service told me that EPS was a CALEA accredited agency. I'm just wondering what make CALEA accredited departments better than those that are'nt accredited with CALEA. I think that only two in the whole country are CALEA accredited EPS and Camrose Police Service.


Maybe that explains the radically different physical fitness standards.

Canadian Blue wrote:I think that only two in the whole country are CALEA accredited EPS and Camrose Police Service.


Maybe that explains the radically different physical fitness standards.

There's definately more than two. Peel Regional Police Service is also accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

http://www.peelpolice.on.ca/history/calea.html

Brantford Police Service

http://www.police.brantford.on.ca/calea.html

as well as

Brandon Police Service
Lethbridge Police Service
Winnipeg Police Service
Alberta Transportation Inspection Services
Aeroports de Montreal (Montreal Airports Security)
Canadian Pacific Railway Police Service
Niagara Parks Police Service
Six Nations Police Service

This information can be found on the CALEA website which can be easily found through search.

The purpose of CALEA is also mentioned on the webiste. In essence, a little bit of searching would have led you to realize that Edmonton and Camrose are not the only police services accredited by CALEA.

Oh, and to answer your question, nothing really makes them better than any other police service. They just have the benefit of CALEA helping them make the service more efficient
Cheers for now

Disregard, previous poster types faster than I, no need to have two lists of Cdn CALEA accredited agencies.

I just finished my field placement with the EPS, where I was working with the Professional Standards Unit. The EPS is going through the CALEA assessment right now. Seeing the dedication that that Unit put towards ensurig the department lives up to all the standards required proved to me their dedication to keeping their officers as safe as possible, and the public as safe as possible. I had a tremendous amount of respect for the EPS prior to working with them, but now, it has grown ten fold.

I am not saying that non-CALEA agencies are bad, all I am saying is that I feel trying to live up to 445 standards is a tough gig, and Edmonton does it well.

shaun_bougie wrote:
Oh, and to answer your question, nothing really makes them better than any other police service. They just have the benefit of CALEA helping them make the service more efficient
Cheers for now

How does CALEA help them out? By supplying manuals? Unless I am missing something, it is up to the agency to ensure they are following all of the necessary standards. If the assessors don't feel they are doing their part, I assume they are just let go as an accredited service.

I beleive it is an accreditation service such as ISO 9002, etc certifications. Which ensures high standards of operations as well as efficiency in using forms, documentation, legalities, etc.
Not a bad thing to have but certainly not meaning that those who do not are somehow not as good.
Cheers!

metallicat wrote:

shaun_bougie wrote:
Oh, and to answer your question, nothing really makes them better than any other police service. They just have the benefit of CALEA helping them make the service more efficient
Cheers for now

How does CALEA help them out? By supplying manuals? Unless I am missing something, it is up to the agency to ensure they are following all of the necessary standards. If the assessors don't feel they are doing their part, I assume they are just let go as an accredited service.

It's up to the agency to follow the guidelines but you were right on the first part too. CALEA provides the guidelines and the means to follow the guidelines. It's all mentioned on their website.

We are CALEA Accredited as well. (Alberta Transportation Inspection Services)

Niagara Regional Police as well....

The Canadian Police Accreditation Coalition is committed to supporting law enforcement agencies in achieving and maintaining CALEA compliance through association, mutual support and resource sharing as a means of ensuring excellence in law enforcement that enhances safety and quality of life in our communities. The Canadian Police Accreditation Coalition (CANPAC) recognizes and supports the concept of accreditation of law enforcement agencies as a means to enhance the quality of law enforcement services throughout Canada. To this end, CANPAC will provide a network for member agencies that will encourage communication, mutual cooperation, training, support and the sharing of resources.

Reference: http://www.canpac.org/

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., (CALEA®) was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of law enforcement's major executive associations:

International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP);
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE);
National Sheriffs' Association (NSA); and the
Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).

The purpose of CALEA’s Accreditation Programs is to improve the delivery of public safety services, primarily by: maintaining a body of standards, developed by public safety practitioners, covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initiatives; establishing and administering an accreditation process; and recognizing professional excellence.

Specifically, CALEA’s goals are to:

Strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities;
Formalize essential management procedures;
Establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices;
Improve service delivery;
Solidify interagency cooperation and coordination; and
Increase community and staff confidence in the agency.

The CALEA Accreditation Process is a proven modern management model; once implemented, it presents the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), on a continuing basis, with a blueprint that promotes the efficient use of resources and improves service delivery—regardless of the size, geographic location, or functional responsibilities of the agency.

This accreditation program provides public safety agencies an opportunity to voluntarily demonstrate that they meet an established set of professional standards which:

Require an agency to develop a comprehensive, well thought out, uniform set of written directives. This is one of the most successful methods for reaching administrative and operational goals, while also providing direction to personnel.
Provide the necessary reports and analyses a CEO needs to make fact-based, informed management decisions.
Require a preparedness program be put in place—so an agency is ready to address natural or man-made critical incidents.
Are a means for developing or improving upon an agency's relationship with the community.
Strengthen an agency's accountability, both within the agency and the community, through a continuum of standards that clearly define authority, performance, and responsibilities.
Can limit an agency's liability and risk exposure because it demonstrates that internationally recognized standards for law enforcement have been met, as verified by a team of independent outside CALEA-trained assessors.
Facilitates an agency's pursuit of professional excellence.

Reference: http://www.calea.org/content/commission

Member Agencies:

Edmonton Police Service

Winnipeg Police Service

Camrose Police Service

Lethbridge Regional Police Service

Alberta Transportation, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement

Brantford Police Service

Montreal Airport Patrol

Saskatchewan Highways and Infrastructure, Transport Compliance

Cornwall Community Police Service

Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Investigations and Enforcement Branch

University of Alberta, Risk Management Services, Protective Services

This is my own personally opinion but I see CALEA as essentially meaningless when it comes to the members and it surely does NOT help a service run more efficiently. If anything, it contributes to more bureaucracy with the accompanying paperwork and policies.

The cost associated in becoming accredited is in the millions (per year) Although I don't know what it's based on. But the cruiser cars get to have a fancy little sticker on them which no one knows what it means. It's especially nice to see it on the rear windows right beside where the bars are so the prisoners can't kick it out. Each year, people from the "Commission" attend and assess if the service is being held to their standards. There's more I'd discuss, but this is public.

I believe the idea behind it (or how I think it's sold) is that it's similar to being an accredited engineer and you have to meet certain standards. You can say you're "accredited" and then it's more legit. I do believe there may be some sort of advantage when it comes to insurance but I can't confirm that.

It does NOT make a service superior to another in any shape or form and I am inclined to believe it has ZERO bearing with the public. Never have I seen a service, when it's members for example are involved in a critical incident, state that "the service is conducting it's investigation in accordance with the CALEA standard and it will meet that criteria etc.

Jim Street wrote:This is my own personally opinion but I see CALEA as essentially meaningless when it comes to the members and it surely does NOT help a service run more efficiently. If anything, it contributes to more bureaucracy with the accompanying paperwork and policies.

(snipped a bunch of other worthy information to make a point).

BINGO! Been there, done that. It's a huge time and money sucker. Many policies and standards are meaningless, and in some larger departments, it is administered and managed by people with no law enforcement background. A department with a squared-away admin team, with a supportive city manager/council, etc., can do much better than a one-size-fits-all accreditation.

Never heard of this CALEA thing in my life. Sounds hokey. Pretty sure Big Blue Machine doesn't subscribe.

Must be hokey.