The Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission has granted accreditation to the Albemarle County Police Department, a year after the ACPD voluntarily postponed a commission review.
Albemarle County Police Chief Sean Reeves decided in June 2024 to put the brakes on the accreditation review after a mock review revealed issues that needed to be addressed in “three critical areas,” Reeves wrote in an email to ACPD employees dated June 6, 2024, which was obtained by AFP through a public-records request: “the revision of our policy manual, the update of our K-9 policy, and enhancements to our Evidence Unit’s practices.”
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In a press release announcing the new four-year accreditation from the VLEPSC, the PD touted the improvements made in each of those three areas.
“Achieving VLEPSC accreditation reflects the dedication of every member of this department,” said Reeves, a career ACPD guy, who started with the agency in 2001, and taking the job of police chief in 2022.
“It demonstrates our ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest standards of public service, enhancing accountability, and continually improving the way we serve our community,” Reeves said.
Law enforcement agencies must be reviewed every four years for reaccreditation. The ACPD was first accredited in 2000 and achieved reaccreditation in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020, before entering the self-assessment phase in 2024.
The ACPD will undergo its next accreditation inspection in 2029.
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