Mechanic Mark Ranson from Covington’s Public Works Department attached a CALEA decal to a police cruiser back in 2018.
Covington 1 of only 3 police agencies in Ky. to earn
independent accreditation
COVINGTON, Ky. – The public should know three things about the gold, blue, and white decal on the side of Covington Police cruisers:
- It’s rare.
- Getting one is a Herculean task.
- And it makes a significant point about the professionalism of the Covington Police Department – as determined by the strict analysis of an international independent organization.
The word in the middle of the decal – “CALEA” – is an acronym that stands for Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., and it represents the gold standard for accrediting law enforcement (in the United States and many other countries).
Practically speaking, the highly prized status means that Covington passed an intense examination of the department – including policy and procedures, management, operations and support services – by an outside assessment team. The process also included formal comment from the public served by Covington’s department.
To maintain accreditation, Covington must comply on an ongoing basis with 189 standards.
“It’s a rigorous process and requires a lot of preparation, but accreditation is a good benchmark that reminds us that good police work on the streets requires a good foundation in the office,” Police Chief Rob Nader said. “We’re proud to be CALEA-certified – especially since this isn’t a status we give yourselves but rather one that a respected third party made us work for.”
Covington earned the right to sport the decal in November 2017, when it became (and remains) only the third police department in Kentucky to be accredited.
The department is in the process of being reaccredited by CALEA, and again there is a public component.
Residents can obtain a copy of the CALEA standards by emailing Capt. Greg Jones at
gjones@covingtonky.gov or by going to police headquarters at 1 Police Memorial Drive. The public can then comment on the department’s ability to comply with the accreditation standards by:
- Participating in a public forum June 28 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Life Learning Center, 20 W. 18th St.
- Sending written comments to CALEA at 13575 Heathcote Blvd, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155 or www.calea.org.
- Or by calling (859) 292-2221 during the phone comment period, which is 9 a.m.-11 a.m. on June 29.
“Four words adorn the badges that every Covington Police officer wears: Integrity, professionalism, justice, and compassion,” Nader said. “We take the CALEA certification seriously because in many ways it examines how, in our day-to-day service to the community, we measure up to those lofty concepts.”
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