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News  Public Notice: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., Invites Public Comment on Trial Court Security Department Court Officer Academy

5/06/2020
  • Trial Court Security Department

The Massachusetts Trial Court Security Department Court Officer Academy is scheduled for an assessment as part of a program to achieve accreditation by verifying it meets professional training standards.

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), will begin the assessment on May 4, 2020 to examine all aspects of the Massachusetts Trial Court Security Department Court Officer Academy’s policy and procedures, academy management, academy operations, and academy support services, Trial Court Director of Security Jeffrey P. Morrow announced today. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and guidelines established by the CDC and Governor’s office, the assessment will be conducted remotely using videoconference platforms. 

Verification that the Court Officer Academy meets CALEA's standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation and is recognition of public safety professional excellence.

Accreditation is for four years, during which the Trial Court Security Department must submit annual reports and undergo annual file reviews attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited. The Trial Court Security Department Standards & Training Division has to comply with 159 standards in order to gain accredited status. The Court Officer Academy first achieved accreditation in 2016.

“CALEA is the Gold Standard in public safety policies and procedures," said Director of Security Morrow. "Incorporating these standards into our training program has helped our department increase its capabilities and better prepare officers to effectively manage the court security challenges that they face every day. Meeting the CALEA standard has been important part of our department’s effort to deliver the highest level of public safety services in Massachusetts’ courts”.

As part of the assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments by calling (229) 269-1531 on May 5th, 2020, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Comments will be taken by the Assessment Team.

Telephone comments sessions are limited to 10 minutes and must address the Trial Court Security Department's ability to comply with CALEA Training Standards. A copy of the standards is available on the Security Department’s website https://www.mass.gov/doc/training-academy-standards-titles/download. Questions regarding training standards can be answered by sending an email to security.training@jud.state.ma.us.

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Court Officer Academy’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA®), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155.  

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. please write the Commission, call (703) 352-4225, or email calea@calea.org.

  • Trial Court Security Department 

    The Trial Court Security Department is comprised of over 1,100 dedicated public safety officers who are assigned to each courthouse in the Commonwealth.
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