RIT Public Safety seeks re-accreditation

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A. Sue Weisler

The RIT Public Safety accreditation team members include, from left to right, Ally Pisher, Chris Denninger, Stacy DeRooy, Joanne Armstrong and Mark Koehler.

A team of assessors from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators will arrive at RIT on March 23 to analyze all aspects of the RIT Department of Public Safety policies and procedures, management, operation and support services.

Verification by the team that Public Safety meets the association’s standards is part of a voluntary process to gain re-accreditation, a highly prized recognition of campus public safety professional excellence, according to Public Safety Director Chris Denninger. RIT first gained accreditation in 2011.

University members, RIT Public Safety employees and the public are invited to comment by calling 585-475-2108 from 1 to 3 p.m. March 24. 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 585-475-7158. DeRooy is serving as the department’s accreditation manager.

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

Denninger said Public Safety must comply with 210 standards in order to achieve re-accreditation.

“Earning accreditation status is vitally important to our organization and the people we serve,” said Denninger. “It makes a statement that our procedures and processes meet international standards.”

The assessment team will review written materials, interview individuals and inspect facilities where compliance can be witnessed. Once the review is completed, 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 explained.

The assessors are Assistant Chief Raymond Bouchard (Ret.), University of Connecticut and Chief Gerald Schoenle Jr., State University of New York at Buffalo.

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