In 10-year process, Franklin Park is 1st police force in North Hills to achieve accreditation

Franklin Park is the first police department in the North Hills to achieve accreditation status from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association.

Aron Leach, chief of the Franklin Park Police Department, was presented with an accreditation plaque and certificate from Chief James Adams of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association during the July 16 council meeting.

“Accreditation is a reflection of our department’s deep commitment to excellence and accountability. We’re proud to be one of the first in the North Hills and among only 18% of police departments in Pennsylvania to achieve this standard,” Leach said.

The Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Program is a voluntary process that evaluates agencies against established best practices in policing. Achieving accreditation is a mark of professional distinction that demonstrates the department’s adherence to the highest standards in law enforcement, according to pachiefs.org.

The process took 10 years, an accomplishment made possible with the support of Mayor Dennis O’Keefe and borough council.

“This is a really important thing for us. I’m very proud of the Franklin Park police,” O’Keefe said. “I’d like to recognize our department for its unwavering commitment to excellence.”

Leach recognized his staff, including Lt. Sam Snyder, who was the “workforce” behind the accreditation.

“It reflects our ongoing commitment to set a higher bar of service to the community,” Leach said.

Franklin Park has 16 police on staff, which includes sergeants, detectives and patrol officers. There also is a department secretary.

The Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association introduced the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Program to the Commonwealth in July 2001. Since then, more than 375 agencies have enrolled and 189 agencies currently maintain accredited status.

Accreditation is a progressive and time-proven way of helping institutions evaluate and improve their overall performance, according to the website.

The three phases to the accredition process begins with an application and enrollment and is followed by an internal self-assessment of the agency. The final phase of the accreditation process is the commission assessment. Trained assessors conduct an on-site review of agency files ensuring compliance with all standards, according to the website.

Accreditation status remains valid for a three-year period with annual reports required.

Benefits of accreditation include potential insurance savings, stronger community relations and increased employee input, interaction and confidence in the agency, according to the police association.