BRICK – The township Police Department has earned a Certificate of Re-Accreditation from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police for the fourth time, a designation that has been achieved by only six percent of New Jersey law enforcement agencies.
During a recent Township Council Meeting, Accreditation Program Manager of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Harry Delgado said he wanted to share the significance of this achievement.
“The Brick Township Police Department has once again made a commitment to adhering to best practices at the state and national level in a highly regarded statewide law enforcement accreditation program,” Delgado said.
The accreditation program requires agencies to comply with best practice standards in five basic areas: the administrative function, the personnel function, the operations function, the investigative function, and the arrestee/detainee function.
“Accreditation status represents significant professional achievement for a law enforcement agency,” and having received it for a fourth time, “demonstrates Brick Police Chief David Forrester’s firm commitment to state and national standards and the continued expectations for quality, professional and ethical policing,” Delgado said.
Only about 54 percent of eligible law enforcement agencies achieve accreditation status once, 32 percent make it twice, and about eight percent earn accreditation three times, so the Brick Police Department falls into a “very exclusive group,” he said.
It takes three years for an agency to get re-accredited, so if you “do the math, you’ll see how many years it takes for an agency to be re-accredited four times,” he said.
Accreditation provides objective evidence of an agency’s commitment to excellence in leadership, resource management and service delivery. Government officials can be more confident in the agency’s ability to operate efficiently and meet community needs, Delgado said, and the police officers can take pride that they have been objectively recognized for their professionalism and adherence to the highest standards.
“This prestigious re-accreditation status, for the fourth time, demonstrates Chief Forrester’s firm commitment to state and national standards and the continued expectations for quality, professional and ethical policing,” Delgado said.
The Chief said he gives credit “for that great honor” to all the men and women that work for the Police Department. “Without their hard work and dedication, we wouldn’t have been successful in achieving accreditation.”
Council President Derrick T. Ambrosino called the accreditation “a fantastic testament to the strength of our Police Department …you can see what rare company they are in and have been in for well over a decade because of their diligence, the diligence of Chief Forrester, the diligence of his predecessor, Chief [James] Riccio, and the dedication of every single one of the men and women who make up our Brick Police Department.”
After the presentation, Chief Forrester promoted Sgt. Michael DeMaio, “whose leadership, skill and commitment to our community safety have distinguished him throughout his career.”
He said DeMaio, who has won numerous awards and been with the township Police Department since 2014, “leads with integrity and professionalism, and sets an example for those who follow in his footsteps.”
