Frisco Police Department Earns Fifth CALEA Reaccreditation, Marking 19 Years

The Frisco Police Department has earned its fifth law enforcement reaccreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, extending a streak of national recognition that traces back to an initial certification the department first received in August 2008.

During its March 3 meeting, the Frisco City Council joined Police Chief David Shilson and the department's communications team to formally present two separate reaccreditations: the fifth for the law enforcement side of the department and the second for its communications center. Together, the recognitions mark 19 consecutive years of law enforcement accreditation and nine years of accreditation for the communications team.

CALEA, founded in 1979 by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriffs' Association and the Police Executive Research Forum, remains the only national-level accrediting body for law enforcement organizations. Departments seeking accreditation must satisfy 483 standards covering areas such as written directives, preparedness for critical incidents, community relationship-building and independent review by subject matter experts.

The accreditation process is voluntary. CALEA assessors, who are public safety practitioners drawn from out-of-state agencies, conduct on-site examinations of a department's policies and procedures, management, operations and support services before making a recommendation to the full commission.

Frisco Police's accreditation history shows a consistent record of meeting that standard. The department first achieved CALEA law enforcement accreditation in August 2008, then earned reaccreditations in July 2011 and July 2014 before accumulating the fifth reaccreditation recognized at this month's council meeting. The communications center has now completed its second reaccreditation cycle.

The department is headquartered at 7200 Stonebrook Parkway. Its sustained CALEA standing places Frisco alongside a relatively small share of American law enforcement agencies that have maintained continuous accreditation across multiple assessment cycles.