Maureen Rush, vice president of the Division of Public Safety, and Penn Police sergeants Michael Belisairo and Christian Vandervort recently completed a hearing before the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) Conference in North Charleston, S.C. The Penn Police Department received its 5th CALEA Accreditation Award. They were honored with Accreditation with Excellence, the highest level an agency can receive.

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies was created in 1979. 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.

Rush credits the CALEA accreditation team, which consists of Capt. Gerald Leddy, Belisairo, and Vandervort, for their hard work and dedication, as well as all members of the Division of Public Safety for the support provided to the accreditation team in preparing for the reaccreditation process.