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.<\/p>\n
The department began its accreditation process in 2022, which included an initial application, a self-assessment phase to compare how an agency\u2019s current policies comply with the program\u2019s 140 standards and a formal assessment that included an on-site review of agency files and compliance with the PLEA standards.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d the release stated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis milestone achievement reflects the professionalism and dedication of the Scranton Police Department,\u201d Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti said. \u201cI 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\u2019t be prouder of the efforts that went into making this accreditation possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cToday marks a historic moment for the officers of the Scranton Police Department,\u201d Carroll said. \u201cAccreditation ensures that we operate fairly and consistently and allows us to hold ourselves to a higher standard.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
One of just just 200 agencies accredited, third in county<\/p>\n
Following Thursday\u2019s accreditation announcements, Scranton became just the third in Lackawanna County \u2014 following the Throop Police Department and the University of Scranton Police Department \u2014 to earn accreditation.<\/p>\n
As of 2020, there were an estimated 1,072 municipal police departments in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n