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ALBEMARLE — Members of the general public can now submit evaluations of the performance and effectiveness of the Albemarle Police Department.

The APD announced earlier this month that the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) public comment portal is open for submissions at cimrs2.calea.org.

“As part of the accreditation process, members of the public can offer input through an online public portal,” APD said in a June 2 statement. “The purpose of the portal is to receive input regarding an agency’s compliance with CALEA standards, engagement in the service community, delivery of public safety services, and overall candidacy for accredited status. The APD is committed to the CALEA’s accreditation standard: to foster continuous improvement in service and operations and further the pursuit of professional excellence.”

The announcement noted that all public input must be made using the CALEA portal because the commission does not receive any input from social media comments.

For three decades, APD has maintained its CALEA status as an accredited law enforcement agency, confirming that the department has met and achieved 461 standards related to life, health, safety, community engagement and personnel practices.

Representatives and members of the department attended last July’s four-day Summer CALEA Conference in Winston-Salem.

The 2025 summer conference will be held Aug. 6-9 in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Following a continuous pattern that began in July 1995, the CALEA Board of Commissioners voted in Winston-Salem to approve APD’s accreditation request. The accreditation lasts four years, and a governing body of 21 commissioners renders the decision following a public hearing and review of documentation.

Over the past 46 years, CALEA has maintained its status as a credentialing authority for law enforcement’s major executive associations. The process begins with annual reports and training, continuing with onsite assessments and full commission review hearings.

CALEA’s accreditation for public safety agencies is based on evaluating the number of full-time employees in an agency, coupled with the effectiveness of their respective responsibilities.

Created in 1979, CALEA was a joint effort by four major law enforcement associations to bring together a credentialing authority: the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriff’s Association and the Police Executive Research Forum.