News Release

Public safety accreditation team
invites public input on UNC force

CHAPEL HILL - A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. will hold a public information session Aug. 7 as part of its review of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Public Safety's policy and procedures, management, operations and support services.

The commission accredited the UNC department in 1995 and re-accredited it in 2000 and 2003.

Verification by the team that the department meets the commission's state-of-the-art standards is part of a scheduled voluntary process to gain reaccreditation - a prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.

"Our department has to comply with 446 standards in order to maintain accredited status," said Chief Derek K. Poarch, director of the UNC public safety department. "We were first accredited in 1995; we've earned reaccreditation two times since, and we remain one of an elite few accredited university public safety agencies. Being accredited garners public confidence and is a source of pride for members of this department."

As a part of the on-site assessment, the assessors will hold a public information session on Aug. 7 at 6 p.m. in the Mountain Laurel Room of the university's William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education. The center is on Friday Center Drive in Chapel Hill, just off NC 54 across from Meadowmont.

Department employees, university community members and the public are invited to offer comments at the session. Comments will be limited to 10 minutes and must address the department's ability to comply with applicable standards.

Comments also are welcome at (919) 962-0052 on Aug. 7, between 8:30 a.m. and noon. Like comments received at the public session, those taken by the assessment team over the phone will be limited to 10 minutes in length and must address the agency's ability to comply with the commission's standards. Written comments may be sent to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA), 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, Va., 22030-2215.

"Our assessment team consists of seasoned individuals who have not only been in law enforcement service for a long time but also have been associated with CALEA as assessors for a number of years," said Capt. Ollie C. Bowler, the department's accreditation program manager. "The assessors will review written documentation in files, have standards presented by members of the department, interview employees as well as other individuals, and visit areas where compliance can be witnessed."

Bowler said that when the assessors complete their review, they report back to the full commission, which issues a final decision on reaccreditation. Accreditation is for three years, during which the department must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

The assessment team includes: Chief (Ret.) Richard L. Czech of the Midland Police Department in Midland, Texas, who is serving as the team chair and lives now in Tucson, Ariz.; Chief Gary L. Vest of the Powell Police Department in Powell, Ohio; and Denise Linkenhoker of the Virginia Tech Police Department in Blacksburg, Va.

Those seeking more information about the process may call the commission at (800) 368-3757 or (703) 352-4225.

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Department of Public Safety contact: Randy Young, (919) 962-1502
News Services contact: Lisa Katz, (919) 962-2093