Accreditation

In 2011, the Eatontown Police Department received the coveted law enforcement status of New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Accreditation (NJSACOP) and Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) National Recognition. The New Jersey State Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (NJLEAC) bestowed the honor at a meeting of their commissioners on November 10, 2011, in Princeton. Beginning in 2013, the State Chiefs Association terminated its relationship with CALEA in favor of its own accreditation program. The criteria of this program mirror the same high standards and best practices utilized on a daily basis by the members of the Eatontown Police Department and are tailored specifically to the needs of the New Jersey law enforcement community.

The Accreditation program has long been recognized as a means of maintaining the highest standards of professionalism. Accreditation is the certification by an independent reviewing authority that an entity has met specific requirements and prescribed standards.

By participating in the New Jersey Law Enforcement Accreditation Program, the Eatontown Police Department continues to ensure that it is employing nationally recognized best police practices and delivering law enforcement services in the most effective and efficient manner and is documented in 5 basic areas: the administrative function, the personnel function, the operations function, the investigative function and the arrestee/detainee function. The foundations of the New Jersey Law Enforcement Accreditation Program lie in the adoption of standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives. The accreditation process has afforded the Eatontown Police Department an opportunity to conduct a thorough self-analysis and will have an unbiased evaluation of what it is doing right and how is can improve in the future. The Eatontown Police Department is one of the more than 138 departments in the state that have become accredited. 

In January of 2015, the Eatontown Police Department passed an on-site reaccreditation assessment, conducted by two examiners from the NJLEAC. The success of the on-site assessment was achieved through the continued efforts of all of the agency's personnel in embracing the concept of utilizing accepted best practices in delivering the best possible service to the community.

The accreditation process has been a great method for the Eatontown Police Department to review and improve its overall performance.

The following are some of the many benefits of being an accredited agency:

• Accountability: NJSACOP standards give the Chief of Police a proven management system of written directives, sound training, clearly defined lines of authority, and routine reports that support decision-making and resource allocation.
• Reduced Risk and Liability Exposure: The Borough of Eatontown will receive a reduction in liability insurance fees because of the department's accredited status.
• Officer Benefits: Accreditation assures employees that every aspect of the agency's personnel system is in accord with best police practices. Operations become more streamlined and consistent. Officers will have clear policies and procedures and will be able to perform their duties with pride knowing that their agency represents the very best in law enforcement.
• Increased Community Support: Accreditation embodies the concepts of Community Oriented Policing. It creates a forum in which law enforcement agencies and citizens work together to prevent and control challenges confronting law enforcement and provides clear direction about community expectations.