"John Pratt" Archive

Campus comment invited during police accreditation assessment

A team of assessors from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) will arrive on April 21 to examine all aspects of the Wake Forest University Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services, Chief Regina Lawson announced.

“Verification by the team that the Wake Forest University Police Department meets IACLEA’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation — a highly prized recognition of campus public safety professional excellence,” she said.

The Wake Forest University Police Department was first accredited in 2008.

University community members, agency employees and the public are invited to offer comments on Monday, April 23, by either attending an open forum in the Little Magnolia Room, Room 215B, Reynolda Hall from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. or by calling 336-758-5739 between 1 to 3 p.m. Comments will be taken by the assessment team.

Telephone comments must address the department’s ability to comply with IACLEA’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at the University Police Communications Center at Alumni Hall. Please contact Officer John Pratt at 336-758-4723 to view the standards.

Anyone wishing to submit written comments about the Wake Forest University Police Department’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to IACLEA Accreditation, 1110 Bonifant Street, Suite 220, Silver Spring, Md. 20910.

“The Wake Forest University Police Department has to comply with 215 standards in order to achieve accredited status,” said Lawson. “Wake Forest University benefits from having an accredited public safety department as the process forces you to stay in a continuous improvement mode.  As part of the process, you are constantly reviewing standards and policies.  Accreditation requires you to improve and stay abreast of best practices.”

The accreditation manager for Wake Forest University Police is Officer John Pratt.  He said the assessment team is composed of experienced campus law enforcement professionals from out-of-state. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and inspect facilities where compliance can be witnessed.

The assessors are:

Chief Peter Agnesi, associate vice president, Department of Safety, Security & Emergency Preparedness, Broward College – Retired

Sonya Johnson, police planning & research manager, Albany, Ga., Police Department

“Once the assessors complete their review of the department, they will report back to IACLEA, which will then decide if the department is to be re-accredited,” Pratt said.

Accreditation is for four years, during which the department must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

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