INSIDE the Lakeland Police Department

Lakeland Police Move Toward CALEA Reaccreditation

CALEA assessors concluded their onsite assessment of the Lakeland Police Department on Wednesday with a favorable recommendation to the entire Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies to reaccredit the Department. The Commission will review the assessors' findings and recommendation at their next meeting in March 2008 and render a decision at that time. We expect to be reaccredited at that time.

Assessors from left to right: Ms. Portia Swinson, Mr. Daniel Bruno, and Mr. Jack O'Donnell.

We appreciate the members of the public who attended the public hearing on Monday evening and spoke of the police department's work in the community. Your words of support were both heart-warming and reassuring. Thank you for taking time from your busy schedules to deliver your comments directly to the assessors.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

CALEA Accreditation Onsite Assessment Underway

Assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) started their onsite assessment of the police department on Sunday during the first day of their visit to Lakeland PD. The visiting team of assessors includes Team Leader Mr. Daniel Bruno from the Gwinnett County (GA) Police Department, Ms. Portia Swinson from the Georgetown University Department of Public Safety (Washington, D.C.), and Mr. Jack O'Donnell from the West Des Moines (IA) Police Department.

The first day of work for the assessors included a tour of the police station and a static display of special operations equipment and patrol units. Photos below are from the static display.

A reminder that employees and members of the public are invited to phone the assessors on Monday afternoon from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM at 863-834-8996 to comment on the police department's compliance with accreditation standards or visit the public hearing Monday evening, beginning at 7:00 PM at the police station. Learn more here.

We will post more on the assessment process throughout this week. In the mean time, we welcome the assessors and hope they enjoy their visit to Lakeland PD.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere