The Monroeville Police Department is now a fully accredited law enforcement agency.
Police Chief Doug Cole officially accepted the accreditation from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association during the Aug. 12 Regular Council Meeting.
The Municipality is now one of 17 police departments in Allegheny County, and just one of 192 in the state to receive the accreditation.
Accreditation is a lengthy and intensive process. The Association examines the department's policies and practices, and compares them to their list of 370 best practices and standards.
Accreditors conduct thorough site reviews, ride-alongs and staff interviews to determine whether standards are being met. Two proofs of compliance are required to achieve accreditation.
"Our program is not just about having a good policy manual on the shelf," Jim Adams, the Association's Accreditation Program Manager, said during the Council meeting. "A good policy manual sitting on the shelf doesn't do anyone any good if people aren't following policy."
The decision to approve accreditation for Monroeville was unanimous.
"The Police Department is a very well trained, well organized, well disciplined and effective police department," Adams said. "Their philosophies and practices show their continuing commitment to their community."
Chief Cole said the Department began the process to become accredited over a decade ago.
"We've really been trying to get this done for... the past 15 years," Cole said. "So we're glad we were able to get it done."
The Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association will now conduct a review of the Department every three years in order to renew its accreditation.