News Release

UNC Public safety department
garners accolades, reaccreditation

CHAPEL HILL - The air is cleaner. The streets are safer.

Those conclusions might be drawn from two accolades in recent weeks for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Department of Public Safety.

The SmartCommute Challenge, a program of the Environmental Protection Agency, presented the department and the university with a regional Super Achiever Award for efforts to promote commuting by bus, carpool, vanpool and other alternatives to the one-car, one-person mode.

In addition, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. reaccredited the department after leaving no stone unturned in its review of public safety over the past three years. Previously accredited in 1995, 2000 and 2003, the department had to meet 446 law enforcement standards to earn the recognition.

"Receiving reaccreditation from the commission is consistent with our vision of being the best public safety department in the country," said Chief Derek K. Poarch, department director. "We remain one of the elite few accredited university public safety agencies. Accreditation also garners public confidence and is a source of pride for members of the department."

Four major law enforcement membership associations -the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriffs' Association and the Police Executive Research Forum -- established the commission as an independent accrediting authority in 1979.

Besides SmartCommute, the area organizations Best Workplaces for Commuters and Triangle Air Awareness presented three Super Achiever Awards at a Kick-Gas Celebration in the Research Triangle Park last month. UNC won in the public sector category and Wake County in small to medium organizations. IBM and GlaxoSmithKline tied for first place among large organizations.

The three were chosen from among 156 Triangle agencies noted for promoting commuting alternatives. Nationally, 72 college and universities were among 1,500 firms and organizations that EPA designated as Best Workplaces for Commuters in 2006.

Earlier this year, the university negotiated a contract with the Triangle Transit Authority that allows university students and employees to travel to and from campus on TTA buses with the university compensating TTA for their fares.

The university partnered with Chapel Hill and Carrboro to make the Chapel Hill Transit system fare free to all riders effective January 2002. The towns and UNC also operate outlying park-ride lots.

"Students and employees have never before had so many ecological and sustainable commuting options," said Claire Kane, who oversees the department's commuter alternatives program, which offers incentives for and distributes information about participation in such efforts. "We hope to see more and more members of the university community availing themselves of these opportunities."

This year almost half of all students and employees commuted via alternatives to the single-occupancy vehicle, according to SmartCommute of the Research Triangle, doubling participation in the SmartCommute Challenge Program over 2005. SmartCommute estimated that UNC's initiatives annually cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than 7,000 metric tons, saving commuters more than $2 million in gas costs each year.

"I'm proud of the department of public safety's achievements," said Carolyn Elfland, UNC associate vice chancellor for campus services and supervisor of the department. "With our progressive community-policing philosophy, this award for our commuter alternatives initiative and the reaccreditation reflect success in our efforts to remain on the cutting edge of law enforcement excellence."

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Public Safety contact: Randy Young, (919) 962-1502, ryoung1@email.unc.edu