Oakland Housing Authority Police Department

CALEA ACCREDITATION

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., (CALEA), was established as an independent law enforcement agency accrediting authority in 1979 by the four major law enforcement membership associations in the United States: International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); National Sheriffs' Association (NSA); and Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). The executive directors of these four associations appoint members to the Commission annually; an endorsement requires a majority vote for each appointment.

The Commission has 21 members: eleven are law enforcement practitioners; the remaining ten are selected from the public and private sectors. Commissioners are appointed to a three-year term. The position of commissioner is voluntary, and while commissioners receive no salary, travel expenses and a per diem allowance are paid when  they conduct Commission business.

CALEA derives its general authority from the four major law enforcement membership associations mentioned above, whose members represent approximately 80% of the law enforcement professionals in the United States. The Commission derives its accreditation authority from those agencies that voluntarily participate in the accreditation program.

Successful completion of the accreditation program requires commitmentfrom all levels of an organization, starting with the chief executive officer and continuing through all levels. To foster commitment, a decision to participate should be voluntary. To this end, the Commission insures that accreditation is and will continue to be voluntary.

In addition to receiving international recognition for achieving excellence, the primary benefits of accreditation are a management model, ability to provide better service to the community, controlled liability insurance costs, administrative improvements, greater accountability from supervisors, and increased governmental and community support.

The Oakland Housing Authority Police Department is proud to be one of thirteen law enforcement organizations in California to receive accreditation. The Department received its first accreditation in March of 1999, and received re-accreditation in 2002, 2005 and 2008. The Accreditation Manager is Lt. James Williams.

Successful completion of the accreditation program requires commitment from all levels of an organization.