NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 25, 1997

CARY POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES REACCREDITATION

CARY -- The Town of Cary Police Department has been granted reaccreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). The announcement was made over the weekend in Tulsa, OK, at CALEA’s quarterly meeting. The conference, which lasted from November 19-22, was CALEA’s largest ever, with 44 agencies appearing before the Commission. Currently, only 17 agencies in North Carolina are accredited, with Cary coming in at number 11 in 1992, and Greensboro being the first in 1986.

"Reaccreditation reaffirms our commitment to high standards and our desire to provide high quality police service to our citizens" said Cary Police Chief Dave Fortson.

Fortson represented Cary PD before the CALEA review committee on Saturday morning during which Review Leader Sam Sasaki complimented Cary PD on the excellent job done in preparing for the on-site assessment held in September. Sasaki also asked Fortson to comment on the Town’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program and the Citizen’s Police Academy. The committee was also impressed with Cary’s low crime rate.

"The citizens of Cary would have been very impressed with the respect the accreditation commission showed for our police department," said Town Manager Bill Coleman. "Our staff are clearly viewed as professionals who find creative and innovative solutions to law enforcement issues. I continue to be proud of them and supportive of the great work they do each day."

Fortson, Coleman, and Cary PD Officer Teresa Marrella represented Cary at the awards banquet on Saturday evening during which the full CALEA Commission voted to award the Cary Police Department reaccredited status. Fortson and Marrella accepted the award from CALEA’s Executive Director Richard Kitterman and Commission Chairman Sylvester Daughtry, also Chief of Police in Greensboro, NC.

The full CALEA commission is comprised of 21 members including law enforcement professionals, judges, and city managers. The committee which conducted Cary’s review was comprised of five members, including Terrence Gainer, Director of the Illinois State Police, Elaine O’Neal, District Court Judge from Durham, NC, Chief Miller of Skokie, IL, James Wright, of the Washington DC Transit Authority, and Sam Sasaki, City Manager of Newport, OR and Review Leader for Cary’s assessment.

CALEA representatives visited Cary in September to begin the comprehensive examination of the Town’s Police Department. The assessment was part of the voluntary process which allowed Cary PD to continue its accreditation with the organization.

As a part of the on-site September assessment, the team conducted a public information session during which agency employees and members of the community were invited to offer comments. In addition to receiving comment at the information session, citizens were able to share comments with the assessment team via telephone, and written comments about Cary PD were also accepted.

Cary was among 28 law enforcement agencies in the nation receiving reaccredited status in Tulsa. Sixteen agencies also received their initial accredited status. Of those first-timers was Winston-Salem, NC. Nationwide, CALEA has accredited approximately 380 law enforcement agencies, and another 290 agencies are in the process of seeking the honor.

CALEA was formed in 1979 to establish an accreditation process that provides law enforcement agencies an opportunity to voluntarily demonstrate that they meet an established set of professional standards. This body of standards is designed to increase law enforcement agency capabilities to prevent and control crime as well as improve agency effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of law enforcement services. These standards also increase cooperation and coordination with other law enforcement agencies, and they raise citizen and employee confidence in departmental goals, objectives, policies, and practices.

Once granted, accreditation lasts for three years during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which they were initially accredited.

PRIMARY CONTACTS: Chief Dave Fortson, Cary PD, 469-4015

Teresa Marrella, Cary PD, 460-4916

Bill Coleman, Town Manager, 469-4002

Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, 460-4951

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