S*1004 Concurrent Resolution, By Giese
 A Concurrent Resolution to congratulate those law enforcement agencies in
 South Carolina including the Greenville Sheriff's Department, Mt. Pleasant
 Police Department, Charleston Police Department, South Carolina Law
 Enforcement Division (SLED), Greenville Police Department, Irmo Police
 Department, Sumter Police Department, and the Savannah River Site Law
 Enforcement Department which have been accredited nationally by the Commission
 on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (C.A.L.E.A.) or which are
 in the process of becoming so accredited, and to commend the South Carolina
 Police Accreditation Coalition to which these agencies belong for its efforts
 in improving law enforcement in our state.

   01/10/96  Senate Introduced, adopted, sent to House SJ-15
   01/10/96  House  Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence HJ-7

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO CONGRATULATE THOSE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA INCLUDING THE GREENVILLE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, MT. PLEASANT POLICE DEPARTMENT, CHARLESTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION (SLED), GREENVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IRMO POLICE DEPARTMENT, SUMTER POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT WHICH HAVE BEEN ACCREDITED NATIONALLY BY THE COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, INC. (C.A.L.E.A.) OR WHICH ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING SO ACCREDITED, AND TO COMMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA POLICE ACCREDITATION COALITION TO WHICH THESE AGENCIES BELONG FOR ITS EFFORTS IN IMPROVING LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR STATE.

Whereas, law enforcement accreditation promotes the development and maintenance of reliable law enforcement practices, thereby assuring quality law enforcement services; and

Whereas, accreditation requires an in-depth review of every aspect of a law enforcement agency's organization, management, operations, and administration, including the establishment of agency goals and objectives, the reevaluation of how agency resources are being utilized, and the reevaluation of agency policies and procedures; and

Whereas, law enforcement accreditation also provides an agency with an opportunity to correct deficiencies before they become public problems; and

Whereas, the standards of law enforcement accreditation provide neutral guidelines for developing strong budget justifications and provide norms against which agency performance can be measured; and

Whereas, accreditation also provides law enforcement agencies with a continuing flow of information relative to exemplary policies and procedures and provides recognition that the agency's managerial and operational policies and procedures are in accord with quality standards; and

Whereas, accreditation assures that agency policies and procedures are in written format and available to all personnel and assures agency personnel that all aspects of the personnel process meet quality standards and are fair and equitable; and

Whereas, accreditation also enhances the morale of law enforcement agency personnel by building confidence in the effectiveness and efficiency of their department; and

Whereas, law enforcement accreditation promotes standardization of operational policies which, in turn, increases efficiency in handling calls for assistance, referrals, and joint investigations, and also requires participation in statewide radio, fingerprint, criminal information, and crime reporting systems; and

Whereas, accreditation provides objective measures in justifying decisions relative to budget requests and personnel policies and provides assurance that the law enforcement agency is delivering a high level of service to its citizens; and

Whereas, law enforcement accreditation also reduces the likelihood of vicarious liability law suits being successfully pursued against the agency, thereby saving public money; and

Whereas, accreditation demonstrates the commitment of the agency to professionalism and enhances community understanding of the agency's role, as well as its goals and objectives; and

Whereas, law enforcement accreditation also assures members of the community that their law enforcement agency is committed to providing the highest quality service and commits the agency to a broad range of programs that directly benefit the public; and

Whereas, an avenue for national law enforcement accreditation is available through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (C.A.L.E.A.) which is a national nonprofit, tax-exempt program formed in 1979 and founded by the:

(1) International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP);

(2) National Sheriff's Association (NSA);

(3) National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); and

(4) Police Executive Research Forum (PERF); and

Whereas, more than seven hundred law enforcement agencies in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Isles are in some stage of the C.A.L.E.A. accreditation process; and over three hundred agencies are currently nationally accredited. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

That the General Assembly hereby publicly recognizes and congratulates the eight law enforcement agencies in this State including the Greenville Sheriff's Department, Mt. Pleasant Police Department, Charleston Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Greenville Police Department, Irmo Police Department, Sumter Police Department, and the Savannah River Site Law Enforcement Department which have been nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (C.A.L.E.A.) and the approximately twenty other law enforcement agencies in this State which are in the process of becoming so accredited.

Be it further resolved that the General Assembly also recognizes and commends the South Carolina Police Accreditation Coalition (S.C.P.A.C.) to which the eight accredited agencies in South Carolina belong as well as the others seeking accreditation for its excellent and worthy efforts in improving law enforcement in our State.

Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution be forwarded to those law enforcement agencies in South Carolina which have been accredited by C.A.L.E.A. and to the South Carolina Police Accreditation Coalition.