Letter: Why is Pasco Police Department not state accredited?
I'm puzzled that nobody from the public or even the Tri-City Herald has asked the question as to why the Pasco Police Department is not state accredited. Both Benton and Franklin County sheriff’s offices and the Kennewick Police Department are accredited. The purpose of accreditation is to make the agency more professionalized. Some of the benefits include:
1. To increase public confidence
2. To increase credibility
3. To provide systemized agency self-assessment
4. To broaden perspectives
These are just a few examples, but the ones mentioned are most critical to the Pasco police. The number of state mandatory standards for an agency is less than 150. It also includes the number of hours of training for each officer. Some of these standards cover the recommendations that the Department of Justice recently reported. Sure, it’s work and time-consuming, but well worth it.
Pasco is not a bad department, as some perceive. I believe they are capable of going through this process, and by doing so, would help gain public confidence, credibility and respect. It will give the chief and his department a sense of accomplishment and improve morale and pride.
Kevin Carle, Eltopia
This story was originally published September 20, 2016 at 4:10 AM with the headline "Letter: Why is Pasco Police Department not state accredited?."