FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 13, 2009

CARY, NC – Representatives of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), will arrive in Cary this weekend to begin a voluntary, comprehensive reexamination of the Town’s Police Department. As a part of its on-site assessment, the CALEA team will conduct a public information session during which agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments. The session will be held on Monday, August 17, 2009 at 7 p.m. in the Page Walker Arts and History Center, located on the Town Hall campus, 119 Ambassador Loop.

In addition Monday’s information session, citizens will be able to share comments with the assessment team via a special telephone line—(919) 380-2129 —on Monday, August 17, 2009 between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. or via e-mail at chris.davis@townofcary.org no later than August 18, 2009.

Public meeting and telephone comments are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency's ability to comply with CALEA's standards. Individuals wishing to offer written comments about the Town of Cary Police Department's ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100 , Fairfax , Virginia , 22030-2215 or www.calea.org. A copy of the standards is available at the Town of Cary Police Department in the Accreditation and Records Section; the local contact is Accreditation Manager Chris Davis.

“Receiving accreditation is the most significant achievement a law enforcement agency can accomplish,” said Police Chief Pat Bazemore. “The team evaluates every aspect of our program including policies, procedures, management, operations, and support services.” In all, the Town of Cary Police Department must support 463 standards in order to be accredited.

CALEA assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other locations where compliance can be witnessed. This year’s assessors are: Chief Paul MacMillan from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Transit Police and Lt Paul Mosier from the Hayward , CA Police Department. Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of an agency, they report back to the full Commission which then decides if the agency is to be granted accredited status or, in the case of the Cary Police Department, reaccredited status.

Accreditation is for three years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which they were initially accredited. For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., please write the Commission at 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100 , Fairfax , Virginia 22030-2215 ; or call (800) 368-3757 or (703) 352-4225 or www.calea.org

Learn more about the Town of Cary Police Department at www.townofcary.org.

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