The University of Cincinnati Police Division is joining forces with 19 other law enforcement agencies across Ohio in a bid for accreditation through the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program, as reported by the University of Cincinnati. This state initiative, launched by Governor Mike DeWine back in 2024, aims to acknowledge departments that voluntarily aspire to comply with or exceed about 34 state standards, touching on critical duties such as professional behavior, impartial policing, crisis management, and engaging the community.
The program stands out as the lone state-administered accreditation program nationwide that provides the service without a fee to law enforcement entities. "We look forward to going through the process of accreditation with the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program and reinforcing our ongoing commitment to holding the UCPD to the highest standards of professionalism," Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety Eliot Isaac shared in an announcement. Up until now, the UCPD has been accredited twice by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA).
Ed Burkhammer, Director of Law Enforcement Services for the Office of Criminal Justice Services, expressed his team's honor in working with UCPD, stating, "Together, we hope to help guide, and walk alongside UCPD on this pathway to excellence," as detailed in the University of Cincinnati's announcement. This third phase adds to the University of Cincinnati's participation in the previous Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Certification Program, which acknowledged the UCPD, among over 600 agencies, for adherence to best practice standards concerning force usage and the processes surrounding recruitment, hiring, and vetting within the law enforcement domain. These certification standards are deemed mandatory for the accreditation process.
Initiated in 2015, the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board fortifies the rapport between the police and the public they serve. It operates in collaboration 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. With the accreditation program, agencies such as Akron Children's Hospital Police Department and the Canton Police Department are collectively embarking on an endeavor to heighten their professional performance and transparency, a gesture poised to benefit both the officers and the communities they protect.
