Public Safety seeks accreditation

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Elizabeth Lamark, ETC Photo/The Wallace Center

RIT Public Safety staff members.

A team of assessors from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators will arrive at RIT on March 26 to examine all aspects of the Department of Public Safety policies and procedures, management, operation and support services, Director Chris Denninger announced today.

The team will review whether Public Safety meets the association’s standards as part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation. Denninger describes it as a highly prized recognition of campus public safety professional excellence.

University members, agency employees, and the public are invited to offer comments by calling 475-2108 from 1 to 5 p.m. March 27. Comments will be taken by the assessment team and must address the department’s ability to comply with the association’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Public Safety office in Grace Watson Hall and can be viewed by calling Stacy DeRooy, Public Safety assistant director, at 475-7158. DeRooy is serving as the department’s accreditation manager.

Anyone wishing to submit written comments about Public Safety’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to IACLEA Accreditation, 342 North Main St., West Hartford, Conn., 06117-2507.

Denninger says Public Safety must comply with 182 standards in order to achieve accredited status. “The past three years have been rigorous, but the effort toward achieving all of the professional standards has proven worthwhile,” he states. “We also recognize how important accreditation is to the campus community in terms of exceeding its expectations of our organization.”

The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals and inspect facilities where compliance can be witnessed. Once the assessors complete their review, they will report back to the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, which will then decide whether to grant accredited status to the department, DeRooy explains.

The assessors are Lt. Robert Wagner, University of Florida Police; Deputy Chief Thomas Kulhawik, Norwalk, Conn., Police; and Lt. John Jacobs, University of Richmond Police.

Accreditation is for three years, during which time the department must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with accredited standards.