University Business - April 2010 - (Page 34)

Certified for Safety it really forced us to rethink how we were doing the work,” recalls Ominsky. After getting input from administrators across campus, he and his Mount Holyoke colleagues drafted a set of written policies covering how the department was going to work. Another institution taking early action in getting a state accreditation was Duquesne University (Pa.). Its Public Safety Department earned a three-year accreditation from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association in 2009. They were the third university in the state to do so, joining Lehigh and Carnegie Mellon. Director Jim Caputo explains that his department’s choice to initiate the accreditation process in 2007 was because it was affordable (current enrollment fees are $250), and then there was a belief that holding state, rather than national, accreditation would be more recognizable to potential students and their parents. Lieutenant Michael Sippey, who served as accreditation manager, says the process helped the department’s 29 officers better enhance their methods for evidence control by defining what personnel were permanent evidence custodians as well as straightening up policies for temporary evidence. “We had a system that worked, but it wasn’t foolproof; now we have tightened that up,” he explains. Yet there’s always more to improve upon. Sippey’s department also belongs to a paid membership support group that meets regularly with other Pennsylvania association members to go over questions or issues about standards. Weighing Decisions There are several factors to consider regarding getting accredited. Cost is a big one. With CALEA, the price tag is based on the num- A Closer Look at Accreditation Standards Here is a glance at wHat a campus law enforcement agency pursuing accreditation through a national organization can expect. the publications Standards for Law Enforcement Agencies, 5th Edition, and CALEA Process and Programs Guide, provide more details. commission on accreditation for law enforcement agencies (calea): • The agency must develop a uniform set of written directives for how to reach administrative and operational goals and provide direction to personnel. • Standards cover roles, responsibilities, and relationships; organization, management, and administration; personnel structure and personnel process; operations and operation support; and auxiliary and technical services. • These standards help law enforcement agencies strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities; formalize essential management procedures; establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices; improve service-delivery; solidify interagency cooperation and coordination; and boost confidence in the agency. international association of campus law enforcement administrators (iaclea): • Standards cover training, patrol, criminal investigation, crime prevention, special operations, victim/witness assistance, traffic, and communication. • As an example, one area on “Role and Authority” is broken down into several rules concerning several high liability and risk exposure issues, including: - Employees must abide by a canon or code of ethics adopted by the department. - A written directive must define the legal authority and responsibilities of the protective service personnel. - A written directive must govern search and seizure without a warrant by agency personnel. - A written directive prohibits bias-based profiling. - A written directive states personnel will use reasonable force when force is used for lawful objectives. - Employees must receive proficiency training in the use of weapons and annual training in the use of force. ‘We had a system that ... wasn’t foolproof; now we have tightened that up.’ —Lieutenant Michael Sippey, Duquesne University ber of full-time law enforcement personnel. Categories and fees for an initial accreditation can start at $5,425. An additional onsite fee is estimated at $7,500. When departments are up for re-accreditation, less time and resources are typically needed, and the costs are reduced by about 40 percent, according to Brown. For IACLEA, there’s a $350 application fee, which may be applied to the department’s accreditation fee if a promise is made, via contract, to undertake accreditation within a six month-period. Program fees are based on student enrollment. IACLEA offers three separate options of payment, including installment plans, Leonard says. Assessment fees are estimated to be around $6,500. Accrediting commissions continually review their processes to keep them current. CALEA is in the process of developing more specific standards for college and university police departments and an accreditation program for college/university security departments that have unsworn officers. “There are a lot of unsworn security professionals doing good work on campuses and we believe our new program will increase preparedness, result in greater security effectiveness, and increase services to the university 34 | April 2010 community,” Brown explains. IACLEA offers a program of joint accreditation with CALEA, which accelerates the process for campus law enforcement agencies that already have earned accreditation from the latter. Seventeen police departments have pursued the CALEA/IACLEA program. “We encourage departments involved in our process to contact and become engaged with departments in the CALEA program as well as the programs in the state,” Leonard says. “The goal is the same among all of the programs, and that is to enhance the public safety services for the benefit of the agency.” With the goal of enhancing campus safety being prevalent in higher ed, the future of accreditation for campus law enforcement has much promise. Lawson sums it up like this: “It’s getting that stamp of approval that you are doing things in line with industry standards and best practices.” universitybusiness.com http://www.universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - April 2010

University Business - April 2010
Contents
Editor's Note
College Index
Company Index
Advisory Board
Behind the News
Sense of Place
Viewpoint
Financial Aid
Internet Technology
Certified for Safety
Managing the Enterprise on Limited Resources
A New Chapter for Campus Bookstores
Independent Outlook
What's New
End Note

University Business - April 2010