Arlington PD Earns Reaccreditation For Period Of 3 Years

ARLINGTON, MA — The Arlington Police Department has announced that it has received reaccreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC).

Police officials said the Arlington PD first became a certified agency in 2008 and first gained full accreditation in September 2014. The latest reaccreditation is good for a period of three years.

According to the department, accreditation is self-initiated and involves a lengthy and comprehensive evaluation process that includes a self-review and an assessment from the MPAC.

"The process (of accreditation) is a voluntary evaluation by which police departments strive to meet and maintain the top standards of law enforcement," the Arlington PD in a statement. "It is considered the best measure for a police department to compare itself against the established best practices around the country and region."

The Arlington PD was assessed on May 9 by a team of MPAC-appointed accessors, according to the department.

Officials said the Massachusetts Police Accreditation program consists of 257 mandatory standards, plus 125 optional standards.

To achieve accreditation, a department must meet all applicable mandatory standards and 60 percent of the optional standards.

Among the areas in which departments are evaluated are: jurisdiction and mutual aid, collection and preservation of evidence, communications, working conditions, crime analysis, community involvement, financial management, internal affairs, juvenile operations, public information records, training, traffic, drug enforcement and victim/witness assistance.