Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission Votes Unanimously to Bestow Accreditation Status to the Hatboro Police Department.

Hatboro, PA (March 12, 2020): Borough of Hatboro Mayor Nancy Guenst and Police Chief James E. Gardner announce the Hatboro Police Department received accredited status following a unanimous vote by the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission today in Harrisburg.

The Hatboro Police Department now joins a group of approximately 118 other Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies that have achieved this elite status. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Pennsylvania has approximately 1,117 law enforcement agencies.  Those achieving accredited represent about 10% of those agencies across the Commonwealth.

Chief Gardner stated he was proud of his staff for working towards this project.  “Having served with this force for over 30 years, I could not be prouder of our personnel.  The residents and businesses of our community deserve the finest public safety services available and we are proud to provide such services. Police accreditation is a time-proven strategy to help achieve that goal.”

Following the construction of a new police headquarters in 2018, pursuing accreditation was the next logical step, according to Gardner.  The accreditation process included the creation and implementation of a new police procedure’s manual, following stringent best management practices established by the Commission.  Additional in-service training is being provided to police staff. The department collects required proofs of compliance to show a team of independent law enforcement assessors that the department meets or exceeds all requirements of the accreditation program.  Agencies that receive accreditation status undergo a reaccreditation process every three years to make sure they continue to uphold the tenets of the program.