Chief Paul Francis is proud to announce that the Essex Police Department earned accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.
The years-long, self-initiated process includes rigorous independent review and evaluation by MPAC of the department’s compliance with 257 mandatory standards and 125 optional standards. To achieve accreditation status, the department must meet all applicable mandatory standards as well as 55 percent of the optional standards.
An assessment team from MPAC visited the department in October of 2021, reviewing management, operations, technical support activities, policies, emergency response planning, training, communications, facilities, equipment, evidence handling, use of force, vehicular pursuit policies, prisoner transportation and holding facilities among other topics.
The accreditation process is aimed at providing accountability among agency personnel and ensuring policies are applied evenhandedly; providing a statewide norm against which agencies can judge their performance; providing a basis to correct deficiencies before they become public problems; providing independent evaluation of agency operations; enhancing the reputation of an agency, increasing public confidence; and minimizing insurance costs and agency liability.
Accreditation also ensures the Essex Police Department is prepared to meet the demands of POST legislation and the requirements it created as part of the state’s police reform law, as well as the public’s expectation that the department be transparent.
Participating in the MPAC review process both this year and in 2019 helped prompt the Essex Police Department to improve supervisory coverage, training, scheduling, and to standardize documentation, policies and procedures.
“Independent review by MPAC has helped our department prepare for the move into our new Public Safety Building, and for all of the changes in law enforcement brought about by the police reform law,” said Chief Francis. “I am proud that everyone at the Essex Police Department has worked so hard to ensure we remain a professional, responsive, and compassionate police department that adheres to the best practices of law enforcement.
“I would like to thank our Accreditation Manager, Sgt. Daniel Bruce, as well as Sgt. Thomas Shamshak and Sgt. Ryan Davis, who helped keep officers and staff up to date on training and other requirements of accreditation. I am proud of our entire department. Without buy-in from all members of this organization, we could not have achieved the high standards required for MPAC accreditation.”