The NJ Police Chief Magazine Volume 26, Number 5 | Page 13

The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | January 2020 Accreditation: Chiefs’ FAQs Harry J. Delgado, Ed.S., NJSACOP LEAP Accreditation Program Director I am frequently asked by Chiefs at the monthly state meetings (NJSACOP Chiefs Briefings) specific questions about accreditation at their agencies. One of their most frequent questions is “Can I lose my accredited status?” The short answer is yes. Many issues may threaten an agency’s ability to achieve reaccreditation. Attention to these issues at this juncture in our program is critical since many agencies are reaching their second and third reaccreditation cycle. Over twenty (20) agencies either have scheduled a final on site or are in the process since the last Commission hearing this past October 10 th . Most are seeking reaccreditation. Let me address some of these issues that may help you maintain your accredited status. I will emphasize that communication between the Police Chief or the Chief Executive Officer and their Accreditation Manager is extremely important. Let me start by reminding everyone that the framework and standard operating procedures of our NJSACOP LEAP process is contained in the “Process Manual” posted on our website. It has recently been revised and updated. This is a guide that will help prevent common mistakes. We have worked diligently to insure a useful, easy-to-follow plan to ensure success for each agency’s endeavor for accreditation. Accreditation Managers should be thoroughly familiar with the Manual. The first issue is training: only training provided by NJSACOP LEAP is authorized and valid for our program. No other training or conference satisfies the requirements of Standard 1.9.11. An Accreditation Manager, new or experienced, that does not attend our New Accreditation In-Service Training will not have the “proof” to comply with the Standard, and will jeopardize their agency’s status. The NJSACOP has held over six sessions and trained over 200 members to ensure compliance. Second, the NJSACOP LEAP Annual Accreditation Report must be filed every year. It helps agencies focus in areas that need attention and time sensitive in nature, as well as future issues. Use of Force, Internal Affairs, and Pursuit issues are all address in this report. If an agency does not file the yearly report, their accredited agency status will be jeopardized. Lastly, “Mock Assessments” are voluntary. The NJSACOP LEAP Process Manual gives clear direction on this topic. If an agency believes it may need a Mock and requests an individual or entity other than NJSACOP LEAP to conduct it, there is a risk that this may create unnecessary interpretation issues that may cause a setback on the onsite assessment, or overburden the agency with unnecessary work. It may jeopardize accredited status. It is important to approach a final Onsite with a false sense of confidence. The concerns raised are real. Chiefs are encouraged to ask questions of their accreditation managers to stay informed and avoid jeopardizing their accredited status. Accreditation is a process, not a one-time event. It requires proofs of compliance and continued maintenance of files to determine how existing operations meet the program standards and objectives. Failure to follow these basic guidelines may jeopardize your status and, yes, you can lose your accredited status. For assistance please forward your questions to [email protected]. 2018 NIBRS Crime Data Released Law Enforcement Continuing Transition to More Detailed Reporting System The FBI recently released details on nearly 6.6 million criminal offenses reported to its National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) in 2018. Last year, 7,283 law enforcement agencies reported their crime data through NIBRS, which is scheduled to become the national vehicle for crime reporting in 2021. The FBI has been tracking voluntarily reported crime statistics through its Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program for nearly 90 years. But the FBI is now transitioning from the traditional Summary Reporting System to the more comprehensive data collection. NIBRS offers law enforcement more detailed data to use their resources strategically. NIBRS provides contextual information of crimes to law enforcement, such as time of day and location, instead of simple numbers and types of crimes. Highlights from NIBRS, 2018 include:   Of the reported offenses, 59.5 percent were crimes against property, 24.1 percent were crimes against persons, and 16.4 percent were crimes against society. Data from 2018 included information on more than incidents with nearly 7 million victims. (Victims included in this count 11 Continued on next page