When the Bowling Green Police Division became the first agency to be accredited in northwest Ohio, it strived to maintain its standards of excellence for more than 20 years after.
The division was most recently reaccredited in August by CALEA, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, and is one of 53 law enforcement agencies in Ohio that is accredited.
“It means we’re meeting the most up-to-date professional standards in law enforcement,” said Chief Brad Conner. “It’s something I believe sets us apart from other agencies, shows a level of excellence.”
To be accredited by CALEA, law enforcement agencies must have policies addressing certain areas of law enforcement, such as use of force or the use of warning shots.
The police division, which has a staff of 58, also pays an annual affiliation fee of $4,065, Conner said. CALEA requires agencies to seek reaccreditation every three years.
During the reaccreditation process this past August, CALEA sent a team of assessors for a three-day inspection of the Division.
“They examine us top to bottom,” Conner said, making sure “we’re doing the things we’re saying we’re doing.”
During this time, the assessors analyze files documenting how the division adheres to CALEA’s standards, conduct public hearings where citizens can provide feedback on the division and participate in ride-alongs with the officers.
Assessors are commonly other law enforcement officials.
For instance Conner, along with Lt. Brad Biller and Maj. Tony Hetrick, are some of these assessors for other departments. Hetrick himself was not available for an interview for this article because he was out assessing another law enforcement agency for CALEA.
Biller is also the accreditation manager for the division, meaning he ensures compliance with CALEA’s standards, or, as he calls it, “quality control.”
“It establishes some validity to the idea that what we’re doing is the right thing to do,” Biller said of the Division’s accredited status.
The Bowling Green Fire Division also recently received accreditation, making Bowling Green one of seven cities in Ohio with both an accredited police and fire division. The city joins Columbus and Cincinnati in this distinction.
“We can rest assured that those two safety organizations are doing the best they can,” Biller said. “The people that are running city government are committed to the services being consistent with best practices.”
CALEA was created in 1979 as a way to ensure certain professional standards are met in law enforcement. It is a product of the joint effort the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriffs’ Association and the Police Executive Research Forum.
CALEA serves as the only independent accrediting agency at the national or international level for these law enforcement agencies, said Christie Goddard, regional program manager for CALEA.
“We are about professionalism in policing,” Goddard said. “The ultimate goal, as we say, is to be the golden standard in public safety.”
CALEA’s standards are constantly being modified to address current law enforcement trends, such as technological growth.
“Let’s face it, law enforcement has changed in 20 years,” Conner said. “We’re constantly keeping up to date with what those changes might be.”
One recent area the Division has had to address is the use of personal video cameras. Some officers in the nation have begun attaching personal recording devices to themselves while on duty, another area CALEA will need to tackle.
“We are constantly looking at the shift in what’s happening,” Goddard said. “We’re always trying to stay on the forefront of it.”
Ohio is one of 17 states for which Goddard serves as a liaison between the commission and individual agencies.
“I would say Ohio is one of our larger regions,” Goddard said.
In addition to the 53 law enforcement agencies in Ohio accredited by CALEA, another 20 are in the assessment process.
“That’s large compared to some of our other regions,” Goddard said.
For comparison to neighboring states, Kentucky has three law enforcement agencies accredited by CALEA and Indiana has 16.
“It’s not an easy thing to become accredited, and any agency that receives accreditation should be proud, and the citizens should be proud,” Goddard said.
Conner echoed this sentiment, expressing a sense of pride that comes with having this distinction since 1993.
“It speaks to the vision of the city forefathers,” Conner said. “It speaks to the leadership within this community to be able to do forward thinking.”
