After a long accreditation process, the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater Police Department is officially recognized by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, or CALEA. 

CALEA is considered the ‘gold standard’ for public safety and law enforcement. 

CALEA is a national organization that sets standards based on what is standard practice, but also finds improvements for best practices in police policy and procedures. CALEA also ensures accredited organizations maintain those standards.

“We wanted to ensure we were giving the highest level of service that we possibly can,” said Chief of Police Matt Kiederlen.

The accreditation process began by examining existing policies and procedures and bringing them to standard if needed. Officers then underwent training for any updated policies.

“We provide paperwork and other documentation that shows our officers actively engaging in those policies and procedures,” Kiederlen said. “It’s not just a matter of showing the policy and procedure, but actually the actions being taken to demonstrate that you are truly truly abiding by them.”

CALEA standards cover everything from body cam use to code of ethics. 

The impact of receiving a prestigious accreditation can already be felt, according to accreditation manager SueAnn Farnsworth. 

“We’re holding everyone to a higher standard so that we can be better as a department,” Farnsworth said. “There’s a higher level of professionalism that I’ve noticed within our officers.”

Once a department is accredited, the strive for excellence doesn’t end. Standards are continually updated by the board of commissioners at CALEA, which in turn get sent to accredited members to update their own policies. The CALEA board consists of law enforcement and public service workers from across the country. 

UW-W police will be accredited for four years before they will go through a re-accreditation process to ensure compliance with CALEA standards. 

“We spent three or four years building this and watching the accreditation come through was worth all the work,” said Farnsworth.