APD Annual Reports - 2019 Annual Report | Page 22

Department Recognition The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) is the gold standard in public safety and Arlington has been accredited since 1989. In November, the department received a ninth consecutive meritorious award with Excellence for Law Enforcement. In addition, the Training Center was reaccredited. The department participated in a two-day program with Higher Education and Learning Professional Consulting in July at Sam Houston High School. The program, Shaping Careers with Officers and Relating Experiences (SCORE), is a college and career readiness, community advancement and law enforcement engagement program. It is funded by the NFL Foundation’s Social Justice Matching Grant program and seeks to build stronger bonds with youth and police. The department was awarded 3 rd Place in National Night Out by the National Association of Town Watch for communities with a population of 300,000 or more. The department participated in 252 neighborhood parties where residents came together to celebrate with police and fire throughout the city. The total number of parties increased by 41 over the previous year. 22 | 2019 Annual Report The Arlington Police Santa Cops program assisted 450 families to ensure that children have a great holiday. The program relies on volunteers, officers and generosity from the community. This year, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders were in attendance during the Christmas party.