The Scranton Police Department received unanimous support for its first-ever accreditation at the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission meeting in Camp Hill on Thursday.

The department began its accreditation process in 2022, which included an initial application, a self-assessment phase to compare how an agency’s current policies comply with the program’s 140 standards and a formal assessment that included an on-site review of agency files and compliance with the PLEA standards.

Potential benefits of the accreditation include reduction in the cost of liability insurance expenditures, reduction in the number of lawsuits, an increase in employee confidence and a sense of increased accountability, the department said in a release.

“The accreditation program is voluntary, but it ensures consistency throughout all police operations. Additionally, by achieving accredited status, the department may automatically meet grant requirements for programs that support police departments,” the release stated.

“This milestone achievement reflects the professionalism and dedication of the Scranton Police Department,” Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti said. “I want to personally thank Scranton Police Chief Thomas Carroll and every officer and civilian employee for their continued hard work and commitment when it comes to keeping our city safe. This prestigious recognition affirms that our policies and practices meet the highest standards in Pennsylvania law enforcement. We couldn’t be prouder of the efforts that went into making this accreditation possible.”

“Today marks a historic moment for the officers of the Scranton Police Department,” Carroll said. “Accreditation ensures that we operate fairly and consistently and allows us to hold ourselves to a higher standard.”

The Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association introduced the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation process for police departments in 2001. A study conducted in the late 1990s determined that many Pennsylvania police departments either did not have valid policy manuals or that existing policies differed too greatly.

The PLEA process is designed to ensure that participating agencies and their policies reflect modern and progressive 21st-century policing practices that promote community trust and accountability.

One of just just 200 agencies accredited, third in county

Following Thursday’s  accreditation announcements, Scranton became just the third in Lackawanna County — following the Throop Police Department and the University of Scranton Police Department — to earn accreditation.

As of 2020, there were an estimated 1,072 municipal police departments in Pennsylvania.

According to the PCPA website, www.pachiefs.org, 189 agencies currently maintain accredited status, ranging in size from as few as two officers to departments including the Philadelphia Police Department, with over 5,100 officers, and the Pennsylvania State Police, with more than 4,800 officers.

Reaccreditation cycles occur every three years, and departments that clear their accreditation through five consecutive cycles gain premiere status.

Not a rubber stamp

“Some haven’t maintained it. It shows it’s not a rubber stamp,” PCPA Accreditation Manager James Adams said. “You don’t get accreditation for life. It is an ongoing process.”

Adams said  the accreditation provides parameters for police officers as they do their jobs.

Not only do departments need to put appropriate policies in place, they need to show examples of the implementation of those policies annually.

The policy covers everything from safety practices to disciplinary procedures.

Data shows that accredited departments have fewer vehicle accident claims, fewer job injury claims and a reduction in abuse of sick leave.

“It’s about morale,” Adams said. “Guys are singing from the same page.”

Originally Published: October 24, 2025 at 3:40 PM EDT