Mississippi Accreditation - The Beginning
On July 29, 2004, the Mississippi Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (MSLEAC) was created and the state accreditation program was born. The Mississippi Chiefs’ Association, Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety worked together to implement this program based on similar programs in (17) seventeen states in all four regions of the nation .
The Purpose
The purpose of MSLEAC is to establish professional standards at an affordable cost for Mississippi law enforcement agencies. The Commission develops and administers the program in order to recognize professional excellence in the law enforcement community.
Partnership
Through a relationship with other state accreditation programs to include Georgia, Texas, Massachusetts, Florida, and New Jersey, the Mississippi Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (MSLEAC) utilizes the national best practice standards for law enforcement that cover (1) Life, health, safety, legal and other critical law enforcement requirements affecting agency and public interests; and (2) the reduction of major risk and high liability conditions for both the agency and the employees. Mississippi Accredited agencies can then utilize their skills and knowledge through their policies and procedures to gain national recognition for their agency by proceeding to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CELEA) for accreditation or advanced accreditation.
Goals
The goals for both Mississippi State Accreditation and CALEA Accreditation are the same. (1) Strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities; (2) Formalize essential management procedures; (3) Establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices; (4) Improve service delivery; (5) Solidify interagency cooperation and coordination; and (6) Boost citizen and staff confidence in the agency.
Major Objectives
(1) Role, responsibilities, and relationships with other agencies; (2) Organization, management, and administration; (3) Personnel administration; (4) Law enforcement operations, operational support, and traffic law enforcement; (5) Prisoner and court-related services; (6) Auxiliary and technical services.
Benefits
The benefits are: (1) Controlled liability insurance costs; (2) Stronger defense against lawsuits and citizen complaints; (3) Greater accountability within the agency; (4) Staunch support from government officials; and (5) Increased community advocacy.
Accreditation Fees
The cost of Mississippi State Accreditation is $300.00 (to be paid to the Commission ) for materials and the accreditation certificate. No annual fee has been set at this time. Additional internal costs to the agency are determined by any need for capitol improvements or equipment, and assessor’s meals and lodging for two or three days during the on-site assessment.
Compliance
The agency must comply with (140) one hundred forty standards for state accreditation during a (2) two year self-assessment. Mississippi State Accreditation standards cover both law enforcement functions, communication functions, and detention functions of an agency.
“What not How”
Agencies seeking accreditation are required to comply only with those standards that are specifically applicable to them. In recognizing the need to establish the best professional practices, the standards prescribe “what” agencies should be doing, but not “how” they should be doing it. That decision is left up to the individual agency and its Chief Executive Officer.
“Getting Started”
The process begins when you contact a MSLEAC staff member for an application package or more information.|
Bob Morgan: (601)977-3782 or bmorgan@dps.ms.gov