The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | September 2020
NJSACOP New Jersey Public Safety Communications Centers Accreditation Program [ NJSACOP LEAP-PSAP ]
By Capt . Harry J . Delgado , Ed . S ( Ret .), NJSACOP LEAP-PSAP Accreditation Program Director
In the years since its incarnation as a stand-alone accreditation program , the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Accreditation Program has played a major role in the transformation of approximately 40 % of law enforcement agencies in the state of New Jersey . NJSACOP LEAP is indeed the legitimate accrediting organization in the state of New Jersey .
The NJSACOP LEAP serves municipal Police Departments , Sheriff ’ s Departments , Prosecutor ’ s Offices , NJ State Bureau of Parole , NJ Parks Police , and NJ Transit Police . Nationally accredited agencies seek NJSACOP LEAP accreditation as a way to ensure adherence to best practices that meet New Jersey-centric accreditation standards .
Our program was developed with the goal of meeting the needs of a broad spectrum of law enforcement agencies in New Jersey , to follow both best state and national practices in the field of law enforcement . To that end , NJSACOP has identified yet another need within these agencies and other Public Safety Communications Centers . This is a logical extension of our current program and has led to the new NJSACOP LEAP-PSAP .
This program includes voluntary standards for communications agencies within the State of New Jersey . The standards are not intended as a substitute or replacement for any legal requirement that may apply to agencies involved in 9-1-1 communications services in our state .
Our NJSACOP LEAP-PSAP is designed as follows ;
· There are one hundred and twelve ( 112 ) NJSACOP Law Enforcement Accreditation Standards .
· There are forty-seven ( 47 ) NJSACOP Communication Standards ; 32 ( 68 %) of which are directly aligned with the NJSACOP law enforcement standards .
· Agencies already accredited by NJSACOP LEAP would need to comply with fifteen ( 15 ) additional standards ( Difference between 47 NJSACOP Communications standards and 32 included NJSACOP LEAP .)
· Stand-alone Public Safety Communications Centers would have to comply with all 47 standards under new program under NJSACOP LEAP-PSAP .
· Standards will be accessible through PowerDMS- Power Standards .
During these uniquely challenging times , and the threat to the health and safety of our law enforcement officers , encouraging police agencies to follow standardized practices and policies is a potentially lifesaving , and cost-effective investment of time and resources . NJSACOP LEAP-PSAP reaffirms our commitment to serve the accreditation needs of the law enforcement community now including the New Jersey Public Safety Communications Centers .
Accreditation gives an agency a preparedness plan and verification of excellence . For more information about our program I can be reached at hdelgado @ njsacop . org .
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