Boston College Executive Director of Public Safety and Police Chief John King, fourth from left, at a ceremony marking BC Police Department's reaccreditaiton. From left, Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission Vice President Russ Stevens; BCPD Lieutenant and Accreditation Manager Laurene Spiess; BCPD Officer and Accreditation Assessor Robert Wayne; MPAC President Matt Clancy; BC Associate Director of Public Safety and Deputy Chief Tom Atkinson; BC Detective Lieutenant David Flaherty; BCPD Operations Lieutenant Jeff Postell, and BC Financial Vice President and Treasurer John Burke.
The Boston College Police Department has been officially reaccredited by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.
Last October, the BCPD was evaluated by a team of MPAC-appointed assessors and was found to be in compliance with all standards for accreditation. The MPAC officially confirmed the department’s reaccreditation earlier this month.
“The Boston College Police Department continues to meet the professional standards identified in the accreditation process,” said BC Executive Director of Public Safety and Police Chief John King, “as is evident in the manner by which our officers serve the BC community.”
A major benefit of accreditation is that it provides a norm for an agency to judge its performance and a basis to correct deficiencies before they become public problems, according to the MPAC. Accreditation also promotes accountability among agency personnel and the application of policies.
In a press release provided by BCPD, MPAC Executive Director Donna Taylor Mooers said “achieving accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission is a very significant accomplishment and a recognition highly regarded by the law enforcement community. Going through the process initially requires intense self-scrutiny, and ultimately provides a quality assurance review of the agency.”
According to Mooers, accreditation serves to reassure the public that BCPD is trained, prepared, and ready to handle routine calls for service, including large-scale emergencies.
“Agency preparedness begins with having a current written directive system that incorporates best practices into agency policies and operational plans.”
–Siobhan Sullivan / University Communications