MEDIA RELEASE

CSUN’s Department of Public Safety Receives Accreditation

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., April 6, 2008) — Describing it as an "outstanding" department, a team of national assessors representing the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) has recommended accreditation for the Cal State Northridge Department of Public Safety. The recommendation is a highly prized recognition of law enforcement/public safety professional excellence.

"After four years of effort," said CSUN Chief of Police Anne Glavin, "our very hard work has paid off. We can now count ourselves among the elite five percent in the law enforcement world that are accredited agencies."

Glavin said she is proud of the contributions of the entire Public Safety Department to the quest for accreditation, during which the department had to comply with some 275 standards. Its efforts resulted in a rating "among the best in the country by national assessors," the chief said.

Overseen by Captain Scott Vanscoy, "the overall process of the department’s accreditation application has truly been a team effort of 15 individuals who assisted in policy and procedure development," said Glavin.

The formal accreditation will be bestowed in June at the annual IACLEA conference in Hartford, Conn.

Following interaction with 45 members of the Public Safety Department, the IACLEA team gave the department high marks for professionalism at every level, including high morale, knowledge, evidence packaging and storage, crime reporting requirements, emergency preparedness plans, community relations outreach, selection and recruitment, records and parking, and helpfulness. In an occurrence rare for an accreditation process, Glavin said, no adverse assessments were listed in the team’s findings.

The recommendation followed the team’s April visit to CSUN, in which its members examined all aspects of the university’s Department of Public Safety policies and procedures, management, operation and support services. Experienced campus law enforcement professionals from agencies outside of California, the assessors reviewed written materials, interviewed individuals and inspected facilities where compliance could be witnessed. University personnel, students and the public also were invited to offer comments on the department’s performance.

Team members included Chief Thomas Younce of the North Carolina State University Police Department, team leader; Commander Kathleen Paleski (ret.) of the Northern Arizona University Police Department, and Lt. John Jacobs of the University of Richmond Police Department.

The accreditation is for three years, during which the department must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance.