San Antonio Police Department Awarded National Accreditation! (crime, how much)

[majormadmax]

Congrats to Chief McManus and the SAPD!

San Antonio Police Department Awarded National Accreditation

SAN ANTONIO -- Congratulations to our San Antonio Police Department. They're among the top cops in the nation.

SAPD has been awarded national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement. They share the honor with Phoenix's police department. They're the only two large city department's in the nation to have it.

(Full story)

Here is the criteria by which they were judged. Impressive!

Cheers! M2

[majormadmax]

Here's actually a better article on the accomplishment...

Sculley, McManus announce SAPD accreditation - San Antonio Express-News

The accreditation by CALEA recognizes that the department is now meeting “national best practices” set by the non-profit organization, Sculley said.

It came after a three-year review that included an examination of more than 400 department policies and procedures by the CALEA commission and a local task force, along with a public hearing in April.

“(SAPD) is now conforming with all of the national standards,” McManus said. “There were 464 standards we had to meet.”

Cheers! M2

[sapphire]

I wonder how much that cost.

Also, it's interesting to note:

Mike Helle, the president of the San Antonio police officer's union, said he didn't think the “front-line officer would care one way or the other about accreditation.”

The typical officer “just wants good working conditions,” Helle said.


Read more: Sculley, McManus announce SAPD accreditation - San Antonio Express-News

[majormadmax]

I don't put much into the comments of a union rep; if there was anyone with an agenda, it would be them!

But as for the cost, it's the price the city pays for a professional police force. Some people constantly complain about the SAPD, and I'm sure even this accomplishment won't do much to change their opinion; but for those who are a bit wiser to the operations of a law enforcement agency know the importance and significance of this.

And just for clarification, I am not speaking about myself. I know numerous law enforcement officers both active and retired, and most have a pretty high regard for the SAPD...

[The Black Irish]

I have some cop buddies as well and I think they do a solid job given the types of people they have to deal with on a daily basis. One example would be my buddy having to get a naked guy who smoked a bunch of crystal meth out of a Taco Cabana bathroom b/c he was destroying it and going nuts. Tazed him and he still wouldn't go down so they took him down using any means necessary. All in a day's work. So when I hear people complain about the police I just laugh b/c honestly they do the best they can with what they have.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by sapphire

I wonder how much that cost.

The article you linked to said the cost to the city was $229,855.

Now that I know from the other quotes above that only one other department in the nation has the accreditation, I wonder if it was a good investment, too. Clearly the head of the union doesn't think so.

It is something the city can point to which will impress large employers that might be considering a move to SA. The value of that is significant and hard to measure.

[sapphire]

Originally Posted by Bo

The article you linked to said the cost to the city was $229,855.

Updated 11:16 p.m., Monday, August 1, 2011

That info was not included when I posted my comment.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by sapphire

Updated 11:16 p.m., Monday, August 1, 2011

That info was not included when I posted my comment.

I guess you asked a question that the editors at the Express-News thought was important, too.

That number was in the version that I read in the paper this morning and it stuck in my memory.

[majormadmax]

From ACALEA's web site...

Today, the purpose of CALEA’s Accreditation Programs is to improve the delivery of public safety services, primarily by: maintaining a body of standards, developed by public safety practitioners, covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initiatives; establishing and administering an accreditation process; and recognizing professional excellence.

Specifically, CALEA’s goals are to:

• 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
• Increase community and staff confidence in the agency.

The CALEA Accreditation Process is a proven modern management model. Once implemented, it presents an agency’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), on a continuing basis, with a blueprint that promotes the efficient use of resources and improves service delivery—regardless of the size, geographic location, or functional responsibilities of the agency.

There is also a list of 83 case studies showing how accreditation benefited law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve which can be found here.

Time will only tell how it will impact San Antonio, but personally I expect it will only help improve police operations in our city even more!

Cheers! M2

[LovingSAT]

I am not surprised! Congratulations to everyone who made it happen!

I love our SAPD!