BEDFORD — Chief Robert Bongiorno is pleased to share that the Bedford Police Department recently earned its re-accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC).
“The MPAC sets high standards for police departments to ensure those in the profession are able to protect and serve effectively, as the result of rigorous, continued training and a dedication to their communities,” Chief Bongiorno said. “It is the hard work of Lt. James Graham, our accreditation manager, and everyone in our department that has led us to our re-accreditation. I am proud to be able to work with such a steadfast team.”
On June 4, the Bedford Police Department was awarded itsre-accreditation. The Bedford Police Department was first accredited by MPAC in 2017. The in-person accreditation ceremony has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The accreditation process is lengthy and comprehensive. Participating departments complete an internal self-review and an external assessment by MPAC experts. The process is a voluntary evaluation by which police departments strive to meet and maintain the top standards of law enforcement. It is considered the best measure for a police department to compare itself against the established best practices around the country and region.
The department was assessed in January over a three-day period by a team of commission-appointed assessors. The Assessment Team found the department to be in compliance with all applicable standards for re-accreditation.
The MPAC program requires that departments meet all 257 of their mandatory standards and 60 percent of the 125 optional requirements. These carefully selected measures include: Jurisdiction and Mutual Aid, Collection and Preservation of Evidence, Communications, Working Conditions, Crime Analysis, Community Involvement, Financial Management, Internal Affairs, Juvenile Operations, Patrol Administration, Public Information, Records, Training, Traffic, Drug Enforcement and Victim/Witness Assistance.
“The Town of Bedford is proud of the Bedford Police Department for this accomplishment,” said Town Manager Sarah Stanton. “The Department remains committed to delivering the highest standard of policing to our community, as demonstrated in their efforts for re-accreditation.”
The Commission offers two program awards: certification and accreditation, with the latter being the higher of the two.
###