The Fayetteville Police Department

has been granted national accreditation by the Commission for Accreditation

of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

Department and city officials

accepted the award at CALEA's conference in Jacksonville March 23.

To qualify for the designation,

the department complied with 275 mandatory standards covering arrest procedures,

records maintenance, criminal investigations and many other everyday police

functions. Fayetteville Police also met 88 other non-mandatory standards.

"It covers every facet

of police work you could think of," said accreditation manager Lt.

Beverly Trainor. "It's all about checks and balances to make the

department more professional."

Fayetteville Police Chief Johnny

Roberts said the award speaks well of the efforts of the department's

men and women and the support from citizens and the mayor and city council.

"They did it," Roberts

said. "I just planted the seed. They made it grow."

Roberts said the accreditation

shows "that we are a professional organization and that we do what

is right in law enforcement. ... It shows that we are doing things right

and can show it on paper and in our actions."

The process, which began three

years ago, involved a self-study of the department followed by an on-site

assessment conducted by CALEA officials, Trainor said. When the department

was presented with the award, CALEA representatives noted that the department

had the largest ever attendance at its public hearing compared to the

city's population, Roberts noted.

The support of the community

was very important, as was the support from other law enforcement agencies,

the chief said.

CALEA officials were also impressed

educational efforts on topics from child abuse to sexual harassment, Trainor

said.

She noted that the designation

also helps the department improve its chances of winning grants for special

programs because of the confidence inherent with being a nationally accredited

program.

"They know our standards

are a little higher," Trainor said.

The Fayetteville department

joins the Peachtree City Police Department in having national accreditation

from CALEA.

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