North Bergen police seeking accreditation from NJ chiefs of police organization

A team of assessors from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) will examine all aspects of the North Bergen Police Department’s policies and procedures, management, operations and support services next week.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“Verification by the team that the North Bergen Police Department meets the commission’s ‘best practice’ standards is part of a voluntary process to achieve accreditation, a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence”, Police Chief Robert Dowd said in a statement.

“Accreditation results in greater accountability within the agency, reduced risk and liability exposure, stronger defense against civil lawsuits, increased community advocacy, and more confidence in the agency’s ability to operate efficiently and respond to community needs.”

According to NJSACOP’s website, “accreditation acknowledges the implementation of policies and procedures that are conceptually sound and operationally effective.”

Department’s must comply with 105 standards in order to achieve accredited status.

As part of this final on-site assessment, employees and members of the public can provide input to the assessment team via phone call or email next week.

The public may call (201) 422-7560 on Monday, August 29th, between the hours of 9:00a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Additionally, comments can be emailed to command@northbergenpd.com.

Telephone comments are limited to five minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with the NJSACOP standards.

A copy of the standards is available for inspection at the North Bergen Police Department, located at 4233 John F Kennedy Blvd. Residents can also contact the Chief’s Office at 201-392-2134 for further information.

Furthermore, comments can also be submitted to Accreditation Program Manager Harry Delgado at hdelgado@njsacop.org or to the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission at 751 Route 73 North, Suite 12 Marlton, NJ, 08053.

“The assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar New Jersey law enforcement agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview agency members, and visit offices and other places where compliance with the standards can be observed,” Delgado explained in the same statement.

“Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they will report to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status.”

Accreditation is valid for a three-year period, during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting to their continued compliance with those standards that earned them accreditation.

In June, Dowd received the honor of “Accredited Chief Executive – Chief of Police” from NJSACOP, which was recognized at the next meeting of the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders.