Woonsocket Police mark completion of department’s accreditation

WOONSOCKET – Hitting a target in its crosshairs for nearly a decade, the Woonsocket Police Department has been recognized as an accredited member of the Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission – a milestone officials will mark with a ceremony at headquarters today.

Police Chief Thomas F. Oates III says accreditation means that an independent group of law enforcement professionals, after a thorough review, has concluded that the department’s operations are in compliance with the best practices in police work.

“It’s compliment to all the men and women in the department knowing the way they’re operating and the things they’re doing on a day to day basis are considered what is the best policies and procedures and practices in police departments throughout the country today,” said Oates. “It’s a tribute to them because, when the rubber hits the road, what they’re doing out there, operating on their regular shifts, the way they do things… those policies and procedures are being followed.”

The department first embarked on a path toward accreditation in 2009, seeking the seal of approval from a national assessment agency known as the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, or CALEA.

The relatively high cost of CALEA accreditation became a hurdle as the city’s finances grew shaky in the years ahead. Similar concerns about costs among other communities seeking accreditation for their police departments prompted the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association to launch a homegrown version of CALEA– the Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission – to provide a similar type of professional assessment at a price that was more affordable.

The WPD is the 21st among 47 eligible law enforcement agencies in the state to attain accreditation through RIPAC.

It’s a tough row to hoe, says Oates.

To hit the mark, the department was required to prove to a team of “assessors” from RIPAC that the department has developed – and abides by – more than 200 policies governing all aspects of law enforcement, including some of the most socially sensitive – strip searches, use of lethal force, juvenile detention and high-speed motor vehicle pursuits, to name a few.

“You’re not just saying you’re doing what you’re doing, but you actually have to prove you’re doing things the way you say you’re doing things in compliance with best practices,” says Oates.

The chief said accreditation also helps limit the department’s exposure from liability suits brought against police for their actions in the line of duty – which is why the Rhode Island Inter-Local Trust picks up a portion of the assessment costs.

Accreditation will last until 2019, at which point the police department must pass a follow-up review in order to maintain its standing.

Since the inception of the journey toward accreditation, WPD Training Officer Lt. Normand Galipeau has been the department’s internal coordinator and deserves to be recognized for his persistence and dedication in bringing the process to fruition, according to the chief.

RIPAC Executive Director Christine Crocker and Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt expected to join city police officials for a ceremony in the briefing room to formally recognize the WPD as an accredited law enforcement agency at 3 p.m.