Merida Initiative Supports Accreditation of Mexican Law Enforcement Agencies
Merida, March 15, 2019 – The U.S. Embassy in Mexico supported the creation of the first
Accreditation Coalition for Public Security Institutions of Mexico (CAISPMEX), announced
today in Merida, Yucatan. CAISPMEX will ensure that the work undertaken by public
security agencies in Mexico towards accreditation will be sustainable, provide a forum for
discussing best practices, and promote a culture of professionalism within member
agencies.
Under the Merida Initiative, the U.S. Embassy, through the Police Foundation, supports
the accreditation of Mexican law enforcement agencies by the Commission on
Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). There are currently 31 Mexican
state law enforcement agencies pursuing CALEA accreditation with U.S. government
support, including police departments, training academies, and communication centers.
25 have already achieved accreditation, ten of which were supported under the Merida
Initiative.
Law enforcement agencies achieve accreditation following a multi-year self-assessment
phase and a meticulous site-based assessment of community engagement, policy,
procedures, equipment, and facilities by CALEA assessors. Each agency goes before
CALEA’s Board of Commissioners, which reviews all findings and determines the
agencies’ accreditation status.
From March 13-14, accreditation managers from public security institutions throughout
Mexico attended a technical workshop in Merida, Yucatan sponsored by the U.S.
Embassy where CALEA and Police Foundation experts provided detailed training on the
accreditation process. Today, those participants formed the CAISPMEX, demonstrating
their commitment to support each other in the accreditation process and achieve
professional excellence in public security.
Background
The Merida Initiative is a bilateral security cooperation agreement between Mexico and
the United States of America. Through 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.
For further information on CALEA, please contact:
CALEA
Travis Parrish
Tel: +1 703 352 4225 x39
tparrish@calea.org
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.