Ocoee Police Department earns accreditation

The Ocoee Police Department has reached a milestone for the first time.

The department was awarded its first Certificate of Accreditation from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. on Wednesday, Oct. 2. With this accreditation, the Ocoee Police Department joins the ranks of other esteemed law enforcement agencies as an accredited agency delivering the highest level of professional law-enforcement services.

In order to earn accreditation, the department had to complete a thorough assessment by a team of assessors comprised of law enforcement officials trained by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. to conduct the assessments. In that assessment, the Ocoee Police Department had to demonstrate compliance with about 250 different standards; some of which are critical to health, life and safety issues. Upon completion of the assessment, the assessors unanimously recommended that the Ocoee Police Department received its initial accreditation.

“Accreditation is great for our citizens, our agency and our employees,” Ocoee Police Chief Charles Brown said. “Accreditation ensures that we follow best practices and this improves our professionalism. Our agency will run more efficiently, which cuts down on redundant tasks and unnecessary use of resources. Accreditation requires we provide adequate training and equipment and ensures policies are in place for the safety of our officers. Our employees have always been professional and this achievement makes all their hard work official. It’s a great day in Ocoee.”