PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Police Department has received an Accreditation Award for 2019.
The department is one of four departments across the state to pass the inspection in only one day, officials said.
PAPD received the award during the fall Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police chiefs conference in Chelan last week. The department is one of about 60 accredited agencies in the state and there are about 300 law enforcement agencies statewide, according to a press release.
Accreditation is an inspection process that typically happens every four years, during which departments are evaluated against 137 standards.
“Some of the critical standards focus on Evidence, Records, Confidentiality, Transparency, Use of Force Review, On Going Training, Pursuit Review, Internal Investigations, Performance Evaluations and the Absence of Bias Based Policing,” PAPD wrote in a statement.
“Accreditation includes a process for departments to overcome challenges found during the inspection,” the statement continues. “However, PAPD was one of only four departments that passed inspection on day 1 with no issues to address.”
The police department credits its accreditation mentor, Lorraine Shore of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, with helping during the process.
PAPD has previously earned accreditation in 2015, 2011, 2003 and 1992.
