BUPD Reaccredited by National Police Excellence Commission
Department passes rigorous review to win recognition
The Boston University Police Department (BUPD) has been reaccredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), a national assessor that recognizes excellence in law enforcement. The department is one of just 44 university forces accredited by the Virginia-based organization.
The reaccreditation, granted in July, is for four years. In determining whether to reaccredit a police force, CALEA measures its operations—financial, crime analytical, training, and more—against 482 standards that it calls, collectively, “the gold standard in public safety.” Two university police officials—Deputy Chief Michael Rein of Rutgers and Captain Nicole Collins of Vanderbilt—conducted CALEA’s assessment of BU.
“As with initial accreditation, the process of reaccreditation is rigorous and demanding,” says BUPD Detective Lieutenant Peter DiDomenica. BU is one of only six Massachusetts university police forces to earn the recognition, he says.
“Reaccreditation helps ensure the department maintains the highest professional standards of service based on industry best practices, [guaranteeing] the department keeps abreast of the latest developments in the profession and adapts accordingly,” DiDomenica says.
Per the accreditation requirements, the BUPD must submit an annual report affirming its ongoing compliance with the commission’s standards. In compliance with another requirement, CALEA held a public forum last November to solicit comments on the BUPD and accepted other public input by phone or online.
Among the noncampus forces to gain CALEA’s nod are the Virginia State Police and the California Highway Patrol.
CALEA “was founded with the support of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives, and the National Sheriff’s Association,” BUPD Chief Kelly Nee says. “It is an honor to be reviewed by your peers and recognized for adhering to best practices in our field. The men and women of the Boston University Police Department are proud to have been reaccredited by CALEA as it acknowledges the professionalism we strive for in servicing the BU community.”
She says that CALEA’s description of its mission embodies her department’s goals and outlook: “to improve the delivery of public safety services, primarily by: maintaining a body of standards, developed by public safety practitioners, covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initiatives; establishing and administering an accreditation process; and recognizing professional excellence.”
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