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Accreditation

Accreditation Seal

LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCREDITATION

 

WHAT IS IT AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Accreditation is a progressive and time-proven method of assisting law enforcement agencies to calculate and improve their overall performance. The foundation of Accreditation lies in the adoption of standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives. Participating agencies conduct a thorough self-analysis to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet these standards and objectives. When the procedures are in place, a team of trained, independent assessors verifies that the applicable standards have been successfully implemented.

Accredited status represents a significant professional achievement. Accreditation acknowledges the implementation of policies and procedures that are conceptually sound and operationally effective.

The attitudes, training and actions of personnel of New Jersey's law enforcement agencies best reflect compliance with the standards contained in this program. Policy and procedure based on Accreditation will not insure mistake-free policing or a crime-free environment for citizens. Nor will it ensure an absence of litigation against law enforcement agencies and executives. However, comprehensive and effective leadership through professionally based policy development is directly influenced by a law enforcement program that is thorough, complete, and obtainable, and based on standards that reflect professional best practices.  

BENEFITS OF ACCREDITATION

To the Community

  • Increases the agency’s ability to prevent can control crime through more effective and efficient delivery of services to the community
  • Citizen confidence in the policies and practices of the agency is increased.
  • Enhances the Mantoloking Police Department’s community-oriented policing model.
  • Acknowledge the Department as being one of the best-trained and most professional law enforcement agencies in the State of New Jersey

To the Chief

  • Increases cooperation and coordination with other law enforcement agencies and other branches of the criminal justice system.
  • Establishment of agency goals and objectives with provisions for periodic updating.
  • Re-revaluation of whether agency resources are being used in accord with agency goals, objectives and mission.
  • Re-revaluation of agency policies and procedures, especially as documented in the agency’s written directive system.
  • Correction of internal deficiencies and inefficiencies before they become public problems.
  • The opportunity to re-organize without the appearance of personal attacks. The accreditation standards provide norms against which agency performance can be measured and monitored over time. 
  • Provides objective measures to justify decisions related to budget requests and personnel policies.
  • Streamlines operations, providing more consistency and more effective deployment agency manpower. 

To the Officers

  • Requires that agency policies and procedures are in written form and are available to all agency personnel at all times.
  • Assures employees that every aspect of the agency’s personnel system is in accord with professional standards, and that the system is both fair and equitable.
  • Is compelled to operate within specific guidelines. It is accountable to the Commission. The agency must stay in compliance with the standards set forth by the Commission in order to retain its accreditation.
  • Morale of the agency is enhanced by increasing the employees’ confidence in the effectiveness and efficiency of their own agency. Operations become more streamlined and consistent.
  • Policies address officer safety issues and provide for adequate training and equipment of the officers.
  • Is a coveted award that symbolizes professionalism, excellence and competence. Employees will take pride in their agency, knowing that it represents the very best in law enforcement.

MANTOLOKING'S ACCREDITATION TIMELINE

  • September 2019 – Started the process for the rewrite of all policies
  • July 2021 – Started submitting all proofs for approval
  • September 2022 – On Site inspection
  • October 2022 – Review of Final Assessment Report by the NJSACOP Accreditation Commission and with their approval, by unanimous vote, we are proud to say that the Mantoloking Police Department is now an accredited agency

All of this was made possible by the hard work and dedication of Chief Ferris and Lieutenant Popaca in seeing this through to completion.  Lieutenant Popaca has already started the process for our reaccreditation status to happen in 2025.