7:00 PM

Second Floor

General Sessions Court, Division III Courtroom

200 Shelby Street

Kingsport, TN

General Narrative

Kingsport, Tennessee – The Kingsport Police Department will have a team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) arriving on December 16th, to examine all aspects of the Kingsport Police Department’s policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services. The Kingsport Police Department was originally accredited by CALEA in March, 1992. This scheduled re-accreditation review is to maintain the department’s status for the next three years.

Verification by the team that the Kingsport Police Department meets the Commission’s state-of–the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation – a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a Public Information session, December 18, 2013, at 7:00 PM. The session will be conducted in the Kingsport Justice Center, General Sessions III court room located on the second floor at 200 Shelby Street, Kingsport, Tennessee.

If for any reason an individual cannot speak at the Public Information session but would still like to provide comments to the Assessment Team, he/she may do so by telephone during a scheduled “call-in” session scheduled for December 17, 2013 from 2:00pm – 4:00 pm. The Public may call and leave comments at 423-229-9378 during this scheduled time.

Telephone comments as well as appearance at the public information session are limited to ten minutes and must be for the specific purpose of addressing the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA’s standards. Copies of the standards are available upon request at the Kingsport Police Department. For information contact Sgt. Steve Hammonds, 423-224-2411.

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Kingsport Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155.

For Advanced Accreditation, CALEA has 481 individual Law Enforcement standards. Most of these standards are subdivided, resulting in well over 1,000 required proofs of compliance for each year the agency remains accredited.

The Accreditation Program Manager for the Kingsport Police Department is Sergeant Steve Hammonds; the Assessment Team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other places within the service area where compliance can be witnessed.

The assessors are:

Team Leader- Director Richard White, Portage Police Department, MI

Team Member- Chief Gary Vest, Powell Police Department, OH

Once the commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full commission, which will then decide if the agency is to retain accredited status in 2013.

Accreditation is for three years during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with all applicable standards.

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. please write the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) at,13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155 call (703) 352-4225, or visit the CALEA website at www.calea.org.

For additional information, please contact:

Sgt. Steve Hammonds

K.P.D. Accreditation Unit

423-224-2411

SteveHammonds@KingsportTN.gov

or

P.I.O. Thomas M. Patton

K.P.D. Community Relations & Crime Prevention Unit

423-229-9433

ThomasMPatton@KingsportTN.gov

K.P.D. Community Relations & Crime Prevention Unit