Oxford Police receive accreditation from the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission.
Oxford Borough Police Department received special recognition this week with one of the highest honors a police agency can achieve.
During Thursday’s meeting in Harrisburg, The Accreditation Commission presented Oxford police with an official certification from the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (PLEAC).
The accreditation program was introduced in July 2001 by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association. More than 375 police agencies have attempted to qualify for the highly sought-after recognition by enrolling in the process. Just 167 agencies have received the accredited status.
According to Chief Sam Iacono, the process for Oxford to complete the accreditation took 18 months, and the department must continue to meet the standards.
Sergeant Chris Coverly, serving as the police department’s Accreditation Manager, thanked the commissioners and said they are accepting the recognition on behalf of the community. Coverly went on to say, “This achievement could have not been reached without the leadership of the mayor and the chief believing in us. Detective Adam Weaver was instrumental in this process to complete our task. Additionally, the extraordinary efforts of our consultant team from Aspirant.”
John String, Greg Budman, and Maddie Lewis, with Aspirant Consulting, helped direct Oxford officials through the PLEAC process and served as advisors.
Accreditation is an ongoing process whereby the agency must establish policy and procedures against established criteria and comply with those criteria, verified by three independent assessors during a mock and on-site assessment. In early February 2024, the assessors reviewed training, services, equipment, and policies and participated in “ride-along” to verify compliance with the accepted best practices by PLEAC. Accreditation affects every agency component and ensures the community receives professional police services.
When asked about this experience, Detective Adam Weaver said, “Achieving and maintaining accreditation should bring reduced insurance costs, increased eligibility for federal grants, and access to the latest standards and practices recommended for Police departments nationwide. I feel honored to have been a part of this process.”
Mayor Philip Harris, also in attendance, provided a narrative from our accreditation grant application that highlights the purpose for difficult, yet worthy endeavor: Oxford continues to work proactively to build a culture in the police department that builds trust between law enforcement and the local community. The department is committed to enacting innovative community policing and maintain policies that: protect the sanctity of life; eliminate systemic bias and racism; provide excellent service with understanding, compassion, and integrity; and create and maintain strong community partnership. The Oxford Police Department has made significant investments to improving information sharing, forging stronger community partnerships, and building trust with citizens. These include educational programming with the school district and exploring partnerships with mental health care providers to better serve citizens in crisis.
Accreditation will provide the critical framework for enacting innovative community policing and ensuring consistency and accountability.
The accreditation requires Oxford police to meet over 130 standards that address four areas: organization and management roles, law enforcement functions, staff support responsibilities, and Pennsylvania legal mandates.
“The PLEAC recognition symbolizes professionalism, excellence, and competence in the law enforcement profession. The accreditation also gives some benefits to the police department. Some of those benefits include a reduction in agency risk and exposure to lawsuits, a decrease in some liability insurance expenditures, and improved law enforcement-community relations”, explained Chief Iacono.
Congratulations to the men and women of the Oxford Borough Police Department for earning this prestigious honor. Another ceremony will be held at Oxford Borough Hall at a later date for the commission to present OPD the certification with its shared success alongside the Oxford community.
Photo 1) left to right: Chief Lee Benson (PLEAC Chairman), Mayor Philip Harris, Chief San Iacono, Sergeant Chris Coverly, Detective Adam Weaver, James Adams (PLEAC Accreditation Program Coordinator)
Photo 2) Official Accreditation Certificate
Photo 3) left to right: Mayor Philip Harris, Detective Adam Weaver, Chief Sam Iacono, Sergeant Chris Coverly, Maddie Lewis (Aspirant Consulting), John String (Aspirant Consulting)
Photo 4) Oxford Borough Council Meeting May 6, 2024. left to right: Maddie Lewis (Aspirant Consulting), Mayor Philip Harris, James Adams (PLEAC Accreditation Program Coordinator), Chief Sam Iacono, Detective Adam Weaver, John String (Aspirant Consulting)
