Boulder Police Receives International Accreditation for the First Time

BOULDER, Colo. – The Boulder Police Department received an international accreditation for the first time in its history this week.

After nearly three years of dedicated work, the agency was recognized on Saturday in California through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) as being one of the few police departments in the world to ensure its policies adhere to the highest standards in the profession.

“We voluntarily took on this challenge to show our commitment to being a model agency and to certify that we are in line with the best practices in policing. We are part of only 5 percent of police agencies in the world who have achieved the gold standard in public safety,” Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said.

“This first-ever accreditation aligns with our Reimagine Policing plan and our commitment to Boulder that they will continue having police officers serving the community at the highest standards possible. I couldn’t be prouder of the three years of hard work our agency put in to achieve this monumental accomplishment.”

Chief Redfearn, Deputy Chief Ron Gosage and Commander Greg LeFebre attended the annual conference and had to participate in a hearing where they were questioned about the process and commitment to receive the accreditation. The auditors were impressed with the department’s:

• Reimagine Policing Plan, a strategic framework created in partnership with community and approved by City Council in fall 2023;
• Focus on Problem-Oriented Policing to reduce crime;
• Innovative engagement programs (such as the department’s Liaisons, Blue Envelope and Autism Decal programs); and
• Employee-focused health and wellness initiatives.

CALEA accreditation means that policing agencies must show they have comprehensive policies in place, adopted practices that support transparent and accountable operations, and create safeguards to continually ensure they are serving their community with professionalism and integrity. Throughout this process Boulder Police has updated, modified and fine-tuned numerous policies, and they can be found on the BPD website.

Yet this is not a one-time accomplishment. CALEA accreditation is an ongoing process that will require Boulder Police to review and meet policy standards, as well as provide proofs of compliance every year. Those proofs will show that the department is abiding by those standards and will require consistent work to maintain. CALEA accreditation focuses on several overarching goals such as increased community advocacy, greater accountability within the agency, reduced risk and liability exposure, stronger defense against civil lawsuits and staunch support from government officials.

“Accreditation is a powerful tool for ensuring that we stop and reflect on the ways in which we are delivering our services,” City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde said. “The Boulder Police Department is one of three city departments to undergo this level of rigorous review this year, and we are so proud of the hard work they have put in to achieve this success.”