MANCHESTER BY-THE-SEA — Chief Edward Conley is pleased to announce that, for the first time the Manchester by-the-Sea Police Department earned certification status from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC).
The department received its award at the February 7th ceremony at the Connors Center in Dover.
“This is a proud moment for the Manchester Police Department. Becoming a certified police agency reflects our commitment to excellence and professionalism. It communicates that we do things right,” Chief Conley said. “I am especially grateful to our accreditation manager, Lieutenant Todd Fitzgerald, Officer Ryan Machain, labor leadership and the rest of our staff for their cooperation through this challenging process.”
The certification process is long and rigorous. It involves both an internal self-review and an external assessment by the commission’s team of experts. The process is a self-initiated evaluation by which police departments strive to meet and to maintain the top standards of law enforcement. It is considered the best measure for a police department to compare itself against the established best practices around the country and the region.
Under the leadership of Chief Conley, the Manchester by-the-Sea Police Department was assessed on October 17-18 by a team of commission-appointed assessors. The Assessment Team found the department to be in compliance with all applicable standards for certification.
To conduct the initial self-assessment and to prepare for the on-site review of the 159 mandatory standards by the Commission, Chief Conley conducted a top to bottom review and revision of existing policy and procedure. “The goal is to assure that how we do what we do is consistent with best practices in 21st century policing,” Conley said. “We are all certainly proud to hang our first certification certificate, but more importantly, certification is about providing a safe working environment and delivering quality service.”
The MPAC program requires that departments meet all the applicable mandatory standards and a percentage of the optional requirements. These carefully selected measures include: Jurisdiction and Mutual Aid, Collection and Preservation of Evidence, Communications, Working Conditions, Crime Analysis, Community Involvement, Financial Management, Internal Affairs, Juvenile Operations, Patrol Administration, Public Information, Records, Traffic, Training, Drug Enforcement and Victim/Witness Assistance.
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