Accreditation Assessment Team Invites Public Comment
Published on June 14, 2022
ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (June 14, 2022) - A team of assessors from the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ALEAP) will arrive on June 21, 2022, to examine all aspects of the Oro Valley Police Department’s policies, procedures, management, and operations.
The Accreditation Program Manager for ALEAP is Kevin E. Rhea. “The assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar Arizona law enforcement agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview agency members, and visit offices and other places where compliance with the standards can be observed. Once the assessors complete their review of the agency, they will report to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status,” Rhea stated.
The Oro Valley Police Department must comply with 174 standards to achieve accredited status. Chief Riley indicated, “Accreditation results in independent verification of legitimacy, greater accountability within the agency, reduced risk exposure, stronger defense against civil lawsuits, and more confidence in the agency’s ability to operate efficiently and respond to community needs.”
As part of this final On-Site Assessment, employees and members of the public are invited to provide comments to the Assessment Team. They may do so by telephone or email. The public may call 520-229-4909 on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, between the hours of 10:30 and 11:30 am. Email comments can be sent to kevin.rhea@azchiefsofpolice.org. Telephone comments are limited to five minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with the Commission’s standards. A copy of the standards is available for inspection at the Oro Valley Police Department. Please contact Lieutenant John Teachout at 520-229-4923. Anyone wishing to offer written comments about the Oro Valley Police Department’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation is requested to email the Accreditation Program Manager at kevin.rhea@azchiefsofpolice.org or write the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program at 75 E. Civic Center Drive, Gilbert, AZ 48296.
“Verification by the team that the Oro Valley Police Department meets the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission’s ‘best practice’ standards is part of a voluntary process to achieve accreditation, a highly coveted recognition of law enforcement professional excellence,” Chief Kara Riley said.
Accreditation is valid for a four-year period during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting to their continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited. The Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police (AACOP) is the accrediting agency in the state of Arizona. For more information regarding the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police, please visit www.azchiefsofpolice.org.