The Gaston County Police Department is seeking public input on their performance as part of their accreditation process with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). The department, which first achieved CALEA accreditation back in November 1991, is calling for comments via the CALEA Public Comment Portal, where residents can submit their feedback concerning the department's service and adherence to the applicable standards for law enforcement.
Community members can lodge commendations or express concerns related to the department's compliance with CALEA standards, their engagement in community service, how they deliver public safety services and their overall suitability for the maintained accredited status; however, the portal is not a place for investigative reports, and it does not provide responses other than confirming the receipt of submissions. According to Gaston County, the purpose of this initiative is to support continuous improvement and to foster a culture of professional excellence within the agency.
This interactive process ensures that the police department remains accountable to those it serves by inviting an open evaluation from the public, which will weigh into its candidacy for continued accreditation status. The Gaston County Police Department upholds the Advanced Law Enforcement Accredited Program status, meeting 461 CALEA standards, with certain ones being marked as Not Applicable to their operations.
For those interested in the specific standards to which the police department is held, a list of CALEA Standard Titles can be found on their website. Concerns or questions regarding the accreditation process or about how to give feedback can be directed to the department’s Accreditation Manager.
