NEW CASTLE, Del. – The Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) Police Department is scheduled for a virtual site-based assessment from August 2-4, 2021.   The Department will undergo assessment by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®).  This will be the eighth reaccreditation assessment since first being accredited in 1996 and is for the Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation.

A team of assessors from CALEA, will examine all aspects of the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police policies and procedures, administration, operations, and support services.  Verification by the team that the DRBA Police meets the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation – a highly esteemed recognition of public safety professional excellence.

Colonel Richard H. Arroyo, DRBA Police Administrator, noted the importance of the accreditation process. “As a nationally recognized professional law enforcement agency, we are constantly striving to maintain best practices in law enforcement,” Arroyo said.  “The CALEA Standards serve as a benchmark for any enforcement agency in pursuit of professional excellence.”

As part of this virtual site-based assessment, agency personnel and members of the public are invited to offer comments at a virtual public information session via GoToMeeting on August 2nd beginning at 5:00 pm.  Those present at that time will be given an opportunity to speak.  Please RSVP via email to CALEA-DRBAPD@drba.net if you wish to attend and type “CALEA Assessment” in the email subject line.

If an individual is unable to participate at the virtual public information session but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, they may do so by telephone. The public may call (302) 571-6198 on August 3rd between 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Telephone comments as well as virtual appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA standards or address your interactions with the Department.

Persons wishing to offer written comments about Delaware River and Bay Authority Police’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to email calea@calea.org or write to:

• Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Blvd, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155.

The assessment team is composed of public safety practitioners from similar, but out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review online materials and Department policies, and interview individuals.

The assessors are Team Leader Major Paul Baggett of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (Florida), and Team Member Mr. David Dishong who was a member of the Nebraska State Patrol for 33 years. Local contact for accreditation is Lieutenant Todd at 302-571-6431. Once the CALEA Assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status.

Once re-accredited, the police department must submit annual reports to CALEA attesting to its continued compliance with those standards.  At the end of a four-year period, the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department will seek re-accreditation once again.  For more information on accreditation, please call CALEA at (703) 352-4225.

About the Delaware River and Bay Authority

The DRBA, a bi-state governmental agency created by Compact in 1962, owns and operates the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Cape May- Lewes Ferry, and the Delaware City – Salem Ferry Crossing.  The DRBA also manages corporate and aviation properties through its economic development powers - two airports in New Jersey (Millville Airport and Cape May Airport) and three in Delaware (Wilmington Airport, Civil Air Terminal and Delaware Airpark). All DRBA operating revenues are generated through the bridge, ferry and airport facilities.  For more information, visit www.drba.net.