City of Alcoa Police Accredited by State
The City of Alcoa Police Department, a CALEA Accredited agency, announces it was recently awarded State Accreditation by the Tennessee Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. The State accreditation certification was presented to Chief David Carswell and Sergeant Matt Caldwell, the City of Alcoa Police Department’s Accreditation Manager, on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, by the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police in Franklin, TN. Accreditation has long been recognized as a means of maintaining the highest standards of professionalism. Accreditation is the certification by an independent reviewing authority that a law enforcement agency has met very specific requirements and prescribed standards in its management, operations, and policies.
According to the Tennessee Law Enforcement Accreditation program, the benefits to the community are that accreditation increases the law enforcement agency’s ability to prevent and control crime through more effective and efficient delivery of law enforcement services to the community it serves. Accreditation enhances community understanding of the law enforcement agency and its role in the community as well as its goals and objectives. Citizen confidence in the policies and practices of the agency is also increased. Accreditation, in conjunction with the philosophy of community policing, commits an agency to a broad range of programs (such as crime prevention) that directly benefit the public.
Chief David Carswell said, “Having earned international re-accreditation in November, 2019, and now State accreditation is a reflection of the department’s commitment to providing the very best law enforcement services for the wonderful community it proudly serves. This simply could not be accomplished without first having devoted and dedicated officers and employees committed to excellence. This is truly their award because they are the ones who are out there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, performing their duties with compassion and professionalism. They are recognized as among the best from across the nation and state and this makes me extremely proud of them.”
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