The City of Hilliard Division of Police is among 20 Ohio law enforcement agencies that will pursue accreditation through the new Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program.
This third phase follows the initial announcement of 10 accredited agencies in the state to complete the process and the second phase of 20 agencies pursuing accreditation.
Governor Mike DeWine created the program last year to recognize law enforcement agencies that voluntarily meet or exceed nearly three dozen state standards that address various core responsibilities such as professional conduct, bias-free policing, crisis intervention, and community engagement.
“The City of Hilliard Division of Police is proud to join the next cohort of Ohio law enforcement agencies pursuing accreditation through the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program,” said Chief Michael Woods. “Building on our current certification in community policing standards, this voluntary commitment to 31 best-practice benchmarks – covering professional conduct, bias-free policing, crisis intervention and community engagement – reinforces our dedication to accountability, trust and excellence in public safety.”
The program, which is the only state-administered accreditation program in the nation that does not charge law enforcement agencies to participate, is voluntary and open to all law enforcement agencies in the state.
Law enforcement agencies interested in accreditation can find more information on the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program’s website. Collaborative staff work with agencies seeking accreditation to ensure their local policies and practices meet state standards.
The accreditation program expands on a separate program — the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Certification Program — which has certified more than 600 law enforcement agencies on specific best practices regarding use of force and law enforcement recruitment, hiring, and screening. All certification standards are considered mandatory for accreditation.
The Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board was created in 2015 to strengthen law enforcement’s relationship with the public. It works in coordination with the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Office of Criminal Justice Services and consults with the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association.
The other phase III agencies include: Akron Children’s Hospital Police Department, Boardman Township Police Department, Brewster Police Department, Canton Police Department, Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, Cleveland Metroparks Police Department, Erie County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfield Police Department, Granville Police Department, Greater Cleveland RTA Police Department, Independence Police Department, Marion Police Department, Medina Township Police Department, Ohio Investigative Unit, Ohio Veteran’s Home Police Department, Troy Police Department, Twinsburg Police Department, University of Cincinnati Police Department, and Wood County Parks District Police Department.
