The Longwood University Police Department recently became only the fourth college/university police agency to be accredited by the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission.
Accreditation, good for four years, certifies an agency’s compliance with 191 professional law enforcement standards in administration, operations, personnel and training.
“This is a significant milestone for our organization,” said Chief Bob Beach, who plans to seek re-accreditation in the future. “This accreditation says that we are on the cutting edge of our profession. It was one of my goals when I came here seven years ago.”
Derrick Mays, program manager for the commission, presented an accreditation certificate to Beach and others at the Longwood Board of Visitors meeting in March. The accreditation became official in February.
Some 95 law enforcement agencies are accredited by the commission, part of the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.