In 2007, the Canton Police Department first received full accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).  CALEA is considered to be a highly-prized recognition of law enforcement excellence and must be recertified every three years.

In 2010, the Canton Police Department applied for re-accreditation and passed with high honors.  Canton continues to hold the title of largest municipal law enforcement agency in Michigan to be nationally accredited.

CALEA was founded in 1979 by several professional law enforcement organizations including:

• IACP - International Association of Chiefs of Police
• NOBLE - National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
• NSA - National Sheriffs' Association
• PERF - Police Executive Research Forum

The goals of CALEA were to:

• Strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities
• Formalize essential management procedures
• Establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices
• Improve service delivery
• Solidify inter-agency cooperation and coordination
• Boost citizen and staff confidence in the agencies

In addition to recognition for excellence, CALEA accreditation provides agencies with numerous benefits including:

• Controlled liability insurance costs
• Stronger defense against lawsuits and citizen complaints
• Greater accountability with the agency
• Increased community advocacy

The accreditation process has also provided the department with an in-depth evaluation of their operations and provided greater accountability within the organization.

The police department will continue to maintain compliance with the 446 standards necessary for accreditation, and will apply for re-accreditation every three years as required by CALEA regulations.

For further information on CALEA accreditation visit www.calea.org.