Boston College Executive Director of Public Safety and Police Chief John King, fourth from left, at a ceremony marking 51做厙 Police Department's reaccreditaiton. From left, Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission Vice President Russ Stevens; 51做厙PD Lieutenant and Accreditation Manager Laurene Spiess; 51做厙PD Officer and Accreditation Assessor Robert Wayne; MPAC President Matt Clancy; 51做厙 Associate Director of Public Safety and Deputy Chief Tom Atkinson; 51做厙 Detective Lieutenant David Flaherty; 51做厙PD Operations Lieutenant Jeff Postell, and 51做厙 Financial Vice President and Treasurer John Burke.

The Boston College Police Department has been officially reaccredited by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.

Last October, the 51做厙PD was evaluated by a team of MPAC-appointed assessors and was found to be in compliance with all standards for accreditation. The MPAC officially confirmed the departments reaccreditation earlier this month.

The Boston College Police Department continues to meet the professional standards identified in the accreditation process, said 51做厙 Executive Director of Public Safety and Police Chief John King, as is evident in the manner by which our officers serve the 51做厙 community.

A major benefit of accreditation is that it provides a norm for an agency to judge its performance and a basis to correct deficiencies before they become public problems, according to the MPAC. Accreditation also promotes accountability among agency personnel and the application of policies.

In a press release provided by 51做厙PD, MPAC Executive Director Donna Taylor Mooers said achieving accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission is a very significant accomplishment and a recognition highly regarded by the law enforcement community. Going through the process initially requires intense self-scrutiny, and ultimately provides a quality assurance review of the agency.

According to Mooers, accreditation serves to reassure the public that 51做厙PD is trained, prepared, and ready to handle routine calls for service, including large-scale emergencies.

Agency preparedness begins with having a current written directive system that incorporates best practices into agency policies and operational plans.

Siobhan Sullivan / University Communications