Delaware Capitol police now operating with national standards
By DOVER — The end of a 16-month path to meeting nationally endorsed law enforcement standards means now living up to them.
Because the Capitol Police Department has begun operating under the policies of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, its officers will be utilizing them daily.
Capitol Police Chief Michael Hertzfeld said last week that the department must use the standards or face losing accreditation through ongoing reviews.
“We have to meet these criteria to continue to stay accredited,” he said. “So when you look at that, it’s not something where it’s an award you hang on the walls, a trophy, and you’re done.”
The process to reach accreditation began in April 2021 and was completed in July 2022. Through on-site visits and virtual meetings, accreditation staff worked with the department’s Galen Purcell to revise standards to meet those national policies.
Capitol police is one of 11 law enforcement agencies to be accredited among the 49 statewide. Nationally, it’s one of around 950 out of nearly 18,000.
So, yes, the accomplishment is significant and not easily earned.
“Accreditation required the input and commitment of all personnel within the agency, sworn and civilian, to be successful,” Chief Hertzfeld said. “This all occurred during the backdrop of the COVID pandemic, which added even more of a challenge to the process.”
The thinking now, the chief said, is that “for any police agency to be effective, it must first have the trust of the community they serve.”
“One way to build trust with the community is to adopt established policies and procedures that are recognized as the gold standard in law enforcement. By seeking and obtaining CALEA accreditation, the agency is demonstrating it is committed to providing the most current and accepted law enforcement best practices.”
In an age of sometimes strained relationships between police and the public nationally, “agencies that adopt CALEA accreditation have experienced increased community advocacy,” Chief Hertzfeld said.
“Many CALEA standards require integrity, transparency and accountability, all of which build the trust and improve relations with the community served by the Delaware Capitol police. The building of such trust is important, now more than ever.”
Officers’ official approach to use of force was revised during the accreditation process.
“After George Floyd (died in police custody in 2020), a lot of departments had to review policies, and the governor in this state mandated that we look at how we have our use-of-force policies. So our department’s response to resistance is a direct impact of that change (and) is in line with what the national accreditation standard is.”
Capitol police, which debuted in 1965 with three officers, has grown to 80, with more expected to be added, Chief Hertzfeld said.
The department’s responsibilities include providing security for all three branches of government statewide, at sites including the governor’s mansion (Woodburn), Legislative Hall and Legislative Mall in Dover; the Supreme Court and Carvel State Office Building in Wilmington; Superior Court, Chancery Court, Court of Common Pleas and Family Courts in all three counties; and over 80 state-controlled properties in the greater Dover area.
The locations bring officers and many members of the public together daily, making adherence to high standards all the more important. For example, from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on a weekday at the New Castle County Courthouse in Wilmington, officers can interact with roughly 1,800 employees and visitors, Chief Hertzfeld said.
Earning accreditation is a five-step process:
- Enrollment — The agency contacts the commission and provides information about the department to ascertain what standards apply based on its size.
- Self-assessment — This is the most lengthy period, in which the agency compares its current policies and procedures to required policies and procedures. This process is very detail-oriented, and numerous departmental rules had to be changed to come into compliance.
- Assessment — Staff members conduct remote and on-site reviews of the agency to ensure it is in compliance with the standards required.
- Commission review and decision — This step included the Capitol chief and accreditation manager attending a commission conference and appearing before a review panel to answer questions about the agency’s preparedness to become accredited.
- Maintaining compliance and reaccreditation — This is the step the Capitol Police Department is currently in, which includes maintaining compliance with the required standards.
More information on the accreditation program is available here.
