A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), will arrive on July 8, 2019 to examine all aspects of the Knoxville Police Department and Knoxville Police Department Training Academy policy and procedures, management, and operations, Chief Eve Thomas announced today.

Verification by the team that the Knoxville Police Department and Knoxville Police Department Training Academy meets the Commission's state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation—a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on July 10, 2019, beginning at 5:30 PM.  The session will be conducted at the Public Works Service Center Community Room located at 3131 Morris Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37909.

If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, one may do so by telephone.  The public may call (865) 215-7259 on July 9, 2019, between the hours of 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM.  

Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency's ability to comply with accreditation standards.  A copy of the standards is available in the Accreditation Unit at the Knoxville Police Department.  The local contact is Officer Matthew Gentry at 865-215-7522.

Persons wishing to submit written comments about the Knoxville Police Department's ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA®), 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155, or by email at [email protected] with Knoxville Police Department placed in the Subject Line.

The assessment team is composed of public safety practitioners from similar, but out-of-state agencies.  The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other locations where compliance can be witnessed.  The assessment team consists of the following persons: Chief Mark Palmer of the Coventry Police Department, Connecticut, and Sergeant September Tuttle of the Winston-Salem Police Department, North Carolina, will be responsible for the Police Department and retired Commander Lloyd Coward of the Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, D.C., for the Training Academy. 

Once the assessment team completes its review of the department, they will report back to the Commission, who will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status.

Accreditation is currently for four years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.  

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. please write the Commission at 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155, or call 703-352-4225 or email [email protected], visit their website at www.calea.org.