The Mott Community College Department of Public Safety (MCC DPS) has received full accreditation from the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (MLEAC), making it the first community college police agency to attain full accreditation status, according to MCC DPS Chief Theresa Stephens-Lock.
“The Michigan Law Enforcement Commission accreditation confirms what our campus community already knows,” said MCC President, Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, “that we have an outstanding Public Safety department. Chief Stephens-Lock, her officers and staff, hold themselves to the highest standards of professionalism and it shows. It is not surprising that they are the first community college Public Safety department to achieve this accreditation,” she added.
Stephens-Lock was presented with the official accreditation recognition at the MCC Board of Trustees meeting Monday, Feb. 25.
“I am incredibly proud of my team,” said Stephens-Lock. “This is a highly sought-after accomplishment and is a great source of pride for members of our department and for the college as a whole.”
Mott Community College Department of Public Safety had to meet 105 standards in order to achieve accredited status. Chief Lock indicated, “Accreditation results in greater accountability within the agency, reduced risk and liability exposure, stronger defense against civil lawsuits, increased community advocacy, and more confidence in the agency’s ability to operate efficiently and respond to community needs.”
The accreditation process is voluntary. Accreditation is valid for a three-year period during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting to their continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.
The accreditation program is a way for law enforcement agencies to calculate and improve their overall performance. It indicates that the policing agency has adopted standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives, while ensuring transparency and accountability.
The Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, through its Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, is the legitimate authority and accreditation agency in the state of Michigan. For more information regarding the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, please write the Commission at: MACP, Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission at 3474 Alaiedon Pkwy, Suite 600, Okemos, MI 48864 or email at nrossow@michiganpolicechiefs.org.
