A team from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., or CALEA, will visit MTSU “Mr. Temple and the Tigerbelles” to examine all aspects of the Middle Tennessee State University Police Department’s policies and procedures, management, operations and support services, university Police Chief Buddy Peaster announced Nov. 27.

Verification by the team that the MTSU Police Department meets the commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation — “a highly prized recognition of public safety professional excellence,” Peaster said.

Chief Buddy Peaster

As part of the assessment, the department is inviting agency personnel and members of the community to offer comments at a public information session on Tuesday, Dec. 4, beginning at 6 p.m. in Room 190 of the Sam Ingram Building, located at 2239 Middle Tennessee Blvd.

Those who are not able attend the public information session but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team may do so by phone by calling 615-494-8625 on Dec. 4 between 2 and 4 p.m.

Telephone comments as well as remarks at the public information session will be limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA standards.

A copy of the standards is available at the MTSU Police Department offices at 1412 E. Main St. For more information, contact Kristen Smalley, MTSU Police accreditation coordinator, at 615-898-2424.

Those wishing to offer written comments about the MTSU Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation can mail their views to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Inc., 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155.

The MTSU Police Department must comply with 158 standards to gain accredited status, Peaster said.

“Our department recognizes the excellence promoted by accreditation and the role CALEA plays in working with law enforcement agencies to meet the organization’s demanding accreditation standards,” he said. “We believe achieving accreditation will be very positive and beneficial not only to our department but to our community as well.”

Accreditation is for four years, during which the agency must submit annual reports and participate in annual remote web-based assessments showing continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., please write the commission at the address above, call 703-352-4225 or email calea@calea.org.