Magazine_Summer2021_063021 | Seite 22

To determine how the citizens felt about law enforcement accreditation programs in Georgia , a study was conducted to measure the perceptions of citizens in communities across the state . To ensure uniformity in responses , surveys were conducted with leaders in 140 local Chambers of Commerce across the State . The study measured five ( 5 ) areas that related to satisfaction and five ( 5 ) areas that related to confidence . The data collected was used to show the relationship between the public ’ s perception of CALEA Accredited agencies and State Certified agencies , compared to the public ’ s perception of agencies neither accredited nor certified . The purpose was to determine if the citizens of communities with CALEA Accredited agencies or Georgia State Certified agencies had a higher level of satisfaction with the overall performance , professionalism , level of transparency , response to the community , and efforts to create positive race relations than those agencies that have neither accreditation nor certification . In addition , the study sought to determine if residents of CALEA Accredited or State Certified agencies had more confidence that the agencies were trying to establish partnerships in the city ; working with citizens to address challenges in the community ; working to create a diverse workforce ; and were performing impartial use of force audits more than citizens of non-CALEA Accredited or State Certified agencies .