(Pensacola): A team of assessors from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) will arrive December 11 to examine all aspects of the Pensacola Police Department’s policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services, Chief Tommi Lyter announced today. The Pensacola Police Department has to comply with approximately 260 standards in order to receive accredited status. Many of the standards are critical to life, health and safety issues.
As part of the on-site assessment, agency members and the general public are invited to offer comments to the assessment team. A copy of the standards is available through the Pensacola Police Department’s Public Information Officer in Pensacola at 850-393-1633.
For more information regarding CFA or for persons wishing to offer written comments about the Pensacola Police Department’s ability to meet the standards of accreditation, please write: CFA, P.O. Box 1489, Tallahassee, Florida 32302, or email to info@flaccreditation.org.
The Accreditation Program Manager for the Pensacola Police Department is Lt. Matthew Coverdale. He said the assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar agencies. The assessors will review written materials; interview individuals; and visit offices and other places where compliance can be witnessed. The CFA Assessment Team Leader is Capt. David Pate with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission in Tallahassee. Other team members are Sgt. Aaron Grassi with the Clermont Police Department and Detective Justin Woodall with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office in Tallahassee.
Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to receive accredited status. The Pensacola Police Department’s accreditation is for 3 years. Verification by the team that the Pensacola Police Department meets the Commission’s standards is part of a voluntary process to gain or maintain accreditation--a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence, Lyter said.