The Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission granted accreditation to the Wytheville Police Department on Sept. 27, for the sixth time. The Wytheville Police Department became an accredited department 20 years ago in 2002.
The assessment requires compliance with 190 standards for efficient and effective agency operation. The standards cover all aspects of the agency including policies and procedures, management, administration, operations, and support services. During the four-year accreditation period, the agency must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with the standards. In the four-year period the department must show compliance proofs in almost 3,0000 items.
To verify compliance, a team of VLEPSC assessors conducted a three-day site visit in May of this year at the Wytheville Police Department.
The assessors’ findings were then presented to the VLEPSC Board of Directors at the annual meeting. Finding the Wytheville Police Department met the requirements, the Wytheville Police Department was granted another four-year term. Less than one third of Virginia Law Enforcement agencies are accredited.
The Virginia Sheriffs’ Association, the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services make up VLEPSC.
Pictured left to right: Jackson Miller Director of the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, Leah Sayers Wytheville Police Department Assistant Accreditation Manager, Chief of Police Joel Hash, Bob Mosier Commonwealth of Virginia Secretary of Public Safety, Lieutenant Bryan Bard Accreditation Manager.
On Oct. 24 Pulaski Chief of Police Jill Neice, Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission Executive Board of Directors Member presented Wytheville Police Chief Joel Hash the Wytheville Police Department’s Accreditation Award during the Wytheville Town Council meeting. Members of the Wytheville Police Department staff attended the council meeting to celebrate this prestigious acheivement.
