Georgetown University Police Department receives a prestigious accreditation obtained by less than 4% of police forces nationwide.
– Georgetown University Police Department (GUPD) has received a prestigious accreditation obtained by less than 4% of police forces nationwide.
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA) awarded GUPD with its Law Enforcement Accreditation at an annual conference this spring in Huntsville, Alabama.
A multiyear process, the voluntary accreditation program allows law enforcement agencies to meet the highest standards in the profession.
Georgetown is currently the only university force in DC to receive the accreditation.
To receive accredited status, GUPD underwent multiple assessments by external experts and achieved compliance with nearly 200 law enforcement standards, including regulatory reporting, community advocacy and security monitoring.
“Having an accredited agency means that GUPD follows the national best practices in policing,” says Georgetown Chief of Police Jay Gruber. “Working within a CALEA accredited agency raises the bar for every officer in the department and shows that we are at the pinnacle of our profession.”
GUPD will retain accreditation status for four years and must demonstrate to CALEA that the university is adhering to the high standards on an annual basis.
Professional development, including departmental implicit bias training and trauma-informed training for Sexual Assault and Response Team (SART) Officers, are among the many ways GUPD is expanding its resource network while learning new skills and problem-solving techniques.
Georgetown joins just over 1,000 other law enforcement agencies in the nation, including the U.S. Capitol Police, with CALEA accreditation.