One by one,

they strode to the podium with praise for the Peachtree City Police Department.

Some of the

speakers had some inside knowledge of the department's functions because

of their status as public officials. Some residents carried law enforcement

or military pedigrees to back up their high opinion of the Peachtree City

force.

And a few ordinary

citizens chimed in too. All the speakers had virtually the same message:

the Peachtree City Police Department is professional and deserves to be

reaccredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

The public

hearing at City Hall Monday evening was before a three-person assessment

team representing CALEA. The team has visited with officers and other

staff while also conducting an exhaustive review of the department's case

files to make sure the paperwork meets the various accreditation standards.

The assessment

team's findings will be forwarded to the full CALEA commission for review

before the body decides whether or not to reaccredit the agency.

Peachtree City

Fire Chief Stony Lohr credited the police department for "providing

excellent public safety teamwork" not only in day-to-day operations

but also with community events and special scenarios such as hazardous

materials incidents and search and rescue operations.

"If you

don't accredit this department, you shouldn't accredit any department,"

said Municipal Court Judge Eric Maxwell.

Wayne Robinson,

director of secondary school operations for the Fayette County School

System, said police chief James Murray and his staff work with the school

system in a number of ways, particularly with the school resource officer

program which enhances school safety, he said.

Andy Jurchenko,

a professor of criminal justice at Griffin Tech and a retired military

policeman, said he felt the police department's quality is outstanding,

noting tha t many officers already hold college degrees.

The department

was also commended by Shelby Barker of the newly formed Peachtree City

Teen Council for working with the council to find ways to build a better

relationship between teens and police officers.