TCPD: Police seek feedback during accreditation process

Elizabeth Brewer, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·1 min read

May 1—TRAVERSE CITY — The Traverse City Police Department will have a window of time for community members to call in as part of renewing their accreditation with the state.

Residents in Traverse City are invited to provide comments, up to five minutes in length, about the department's community policing practices to assessors from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday by calling 231-995-5017.

This is the first time the department has renewed its accreditation status after initially gaining the recognition from the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission on March 1, 2021.

According to the bylaws of the commission, each accredited law enforcement agency in the state has to renew its status every three years. Part of that renewal includes feedback from the community.

"As part of this voluntary process to achieve and maintain accreditation, a team of assessors visits our department to verify that the Traverse City Police Department meets the [MLEAC]'s 'best practice' standards," TCPD Chief Matthew Richmond said in a statement.

To achieve accreditation, TCPD has to comply with 108 standards outlined in the MLEAC's Fourth Edition Standards Manual.

"The assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar Michigan law enforcement agencies," Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police Accreditation Program Manager Ron Wiles said in a release. "The assessors will review the written materials, interview agency members, and visit offices and other places where compliance with the standards can be observed."

According to Wiles, once the process is complete, assessors will send a report to the full commission, which will then decide if TCPD's accreditation status will be renewed.

Feedback also can be provided via email sent to traversecitypolicedepartment@traversecitymi.gov.