The Pella Police Department was awarded national accreditation this week. The agency has been participating in the law enforcement program by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), following a multi-year self-assessment phase and a meticulous site based assessment of community engagement, policy, procedures, equipment, and facilities by CALEA assessors.

Chief Shane McSheehy and Captain Paul Haase attended the CALEA conference in Winston Salem, NC, last week. During the conference, the agency underwent a review in front of CALEA’s 21-member Board of Commissioners. The commission reviewed all findings and determined the agency’s accreditation status. Following the commission’s assessment, the Pella Police Department was awarded accreditation, signifying excellence in public safety and commitment to the community. This is Pella’s first national accreditation award. The Pella PD now moves into CALEA’s four-year accreditation cycle to maintain continued accreditation.

The Commission’s purpose is to develop standards based on international best practices in public safety and establish and administer the accreditation process. The accreditation process is how a public safety agency voluntarily demonstrates that it meets professionally recognized criteria for excellence in management and service delivery.