Media Information Bulletin

ACCREDITATION ASSESSMENT TEAM INVITES PUBLIC COMMENT

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), will arrive on December 3, 2005, to examine all aspects of the United States Capitol Police policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services, Chief Terrance Gainer announced today.

Verification by the team that the United States Capitol Police meets the Commission’s law enforcement standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation – a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence. The United States Capitol Police has to comply with over 350 standards in order to gain accredited status, Chief Gainer said.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments via a phone-in session by calling 202-228-6179 on Monday, December 5, 2005, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Comments offered by telephone are limited to ten minutes and must address the agency’s ability to meet CALEA’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at the United States Capitol Police Headquarters, 119 D Street, NE, Washington, D.C. Persons wishing to offer written comments about the United States Capitol Police’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, VA, 22030-2215. The Accreditation Manager for the United States Capitol Police is Sergeant Ricardo Anderson, 202-224-9821.

The CALEA assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar-sized, but out-of-state, agencies, who will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit police offices and other locations where compliance can be observed. The assessors are: Mr. Gil Kleinknecht, Team Leader, U.S. Marshals Service (Retired); Ms. Nancy Maiden, Virginia State Police; Mr. John Czernis, Florida Highway Patrol. Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they will report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if the U.S. Capitol Police is to be granted accredited status, Chief Gainer said. Accreditation is for three years, during which the U.S. Capitol Police must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited, Gainer added.

For more information regarding the Commission on the Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., please write the Commission at the above listed address or call 1-800-368-3757 or 703-352-4225.