The Greer Police Department was recently accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). With this accreditation, both the city’s police and fire departments have now achieved the highest standards in their professions.
CALEA is a premier law enforcement accrediting entity that assesses police departments across the nation to ensure they adhere to a rigorous set of standards. According to Police Chief Matt Hamby, only 1,300 of the 18,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide are CALEA accredited.
“It is valuable for our entire community for our city’s police department to achieve accreditation status,” said Hamby. “For our community, CALEA accreditation provides confirmation from a third party that Greer Police Department is operating within the highest set of standards … For our staff, CALEA accreditation provides an assurance that the Greer Police Department is committed to professionalism and data-driven decision making.”
To receive this accreditation, the Greer Police Department underwent a three-year self-assessment period, beginning in 2022. According to Hamby, this period included a complete review of the department’s policies and procedures, with many amendments and enhancements being put in place.
Following the self-assessment, CALEA sent three assessors from various parts of the country to assess the department’s practices. The accreditation was officially awarded on Aug. 9 and is valid for four years. After that time, another assessment will be needed.
With the accreditation, both Greer’s police and fire departments are considered to be at the highest standard. For the fire department, this is an ISO Class-1 ranking, placing it in the top 1% of stations nationwide.
Despite the highly-regarded accreditation, Chief Hamby says that the department’s work is not over. The department plans to leverage the accreditation to recruit the most qualified people to begin careers in the force. According to Hamby, this includes a new full-time position that will be heavily involved in ensuring continued compliance with CALEA standards.
“Greer [Police Department] plans to take full advantage of CALEA accreditation by continuing to implement the spirit of professionalism that accreditation represents,” said Hamby. “... This should represent a confirmation of our commitment to excellence and continued improvement into the future.”
For additional information on the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, visit their website. To stay up-to-date on the Greer Police Department, visit their website or find them on Facebook.
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