5 Mexican Public Security Agencies Earn CALEA Accreditation in Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama, May 4, 2019 – With support from the Merida Initiative, the University of Security Sciences of Nuevo Leon, the Center for Capacity Building, Training and Research for the Security of the State of Queretaro (CECAFIS), and the Communications Center C5 of Sonora successfully earned accreditation from the prestigious Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). Two additional Mexican security agencies, the Municipal Police of Tijuana and the State Police of Baja California, also earned CALEA accreditation during the ceremony, albeit without Merida Initiative assistance.
With these accreditations, Querétaro, Sonora, and Baja California also earned CALEA’s TRI-ARC award. The TRI-ARC award is CALEA’s highest honor, granted to a state’s Public Security Agency once it has accredited its Police Department, Police Academy, and Communications Center. These three states join the state of Guanajuato and the municipality of Leon as the first five Mexican government entities to achieve this distinction.
To obtain CALEA accreditation, public security institutions must comply with a wide range of standards on public resources, administrative policies, and operational procedures. Accreditations are valid for four years, and demand ongoing training by agency staff and adherence to established methodologies based on international best practices. Upholding these standards helps public security institutions strengthen their capacity to prevent and control the commission of criminal acts, improve the provision of services and respect for human rights, consolidate inter-institutional cooperation, and increase citizen and staff confidence.
To date, the Merida Initiative has supported 13 Mexican institutions in achieving CALEA accreditation via a partnership with The Police Foundation.
Background
The Merida Initiative is a bilateral security cooperation agreement between Mexico and the United States of America. Through nearly ten years of implementation, the Merida Initiative has led to greater cooperation between the United States and Mexico. It provides tangible support to Mexico’s law enforcement and judicial institutions, strengthens border security, and helps to counteract the activities of transnational criminal organizations and the illegal trade in narcotics. To date, through the Mérida Initiative the United States has delivered USD 1.8 billion in equipment, training, and capacity building assistance to the government of Mexico.
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., (CALEA®) was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of law enforcement’s major executive associations: International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA); and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).
The purpose of CALEA’s Accreditation Programs is to improve the delivery of public safety services, primarily by: maintaining a body of standards, developed by public safety practitioners, covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initiatives; establishing and administering an accreditation process; and recognizing professional excellence.
Specifically, CALEA’s goals are to: Strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities; Formalize essential management procedures; Establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices; Improve service delivery; Solidify interagency cooperation and coordination; and Increase community and staff confidence in the agency.
The CALEA Accreditation Process is a proven modern management model; once implemented, it presents the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), on a continuing basis, with a blueprint that promotes the efficient use of resources and improves service delivery—regardless of the size, geographic location, or functional responsibilities of the agency.
This accreditation program provides public safety agencies an opportunity to voluntarily demonstrate that they meet an established set of professional standards based on industry best practices and approved by an all-volunteer board of commissioners.
The Police Foundation is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing policing through innovation and science. For over 45 years, the Foundation has conducted research on all aspects of policing and has led the way in promoting and sharing evidence-based practices and innovation among law enforcement. For more information on the Police Foundation, please visit www.policefoundation.org.