Professional Standards

About Professional Standards

Professional Standards handles writing and reviewing of the department policies and rules and regulations. This involves constant follow-up to ensure the department is doing what the policy says and the systems outlined in the policies are in place.

CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) accreditation is a major focus area, as is the responsibility as the department “conduit” regarding department legal matters, such as providing discovery materials for lawsuits and right-to-know requests.

In addition, the performance appraisal system administration falls under this function, as does several committee chair appointments: Response to Resistance, Accident Review, and Pursuit Review committee chair positions.

Internal Affairs (IA)

Internal Affairs is also a major component of Professional Standards.  It includes investigations of citizen complaints regarding the conduct of Portsmouth Police Officers that cannot be resolved satisfactorily by the on-duty Shift Commander.  After an investigation, the citizen is then apprised of the outcome.

Accreditation

The Portsmouth Police Department is an internationally accredited agency. The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) awarded accreditation status to our agency in May 2019. CALEA has established standards designed to prevent and control crime; increase agency effectiveness and efficiency; increase cooperation and coordination with other agencies; and increase citizen and employee confidence in the goals, objectives, policies, and practices of the agency. A CALEA assessment team monitors the Portsmouth Police Department's adherence to the 400+ standards of best practices through an annual computer-based audit of files, as well as a 4-day site-based assessment once every four years to ensure continued compliance.

The Portsmouth Police Department was awarded its first Certificate of Advanced Accreditation from CALEA. The award is proudly displayed in the lobby for the public to view. This award signifies the hard work and dedication of the officers and administrative employees of the department. They remain committed to getting better every day and to providing the Portsmouth community with the highest level of service in Public Safety. Accreditation is a journey, not a destination. It requires continual monitoring of processes and procedures to ensure the agency keeps up with or exceeds the industry's best practices, which are ever-changing. 

Lt. Aubin and Accreditation Manager, Kate Young, manage the Accreditation Program. They are both members of the Northern New England Police Accreditation Coalition (NNEPAC). NNEPAC is a regional accreditation support network for accredited agencies and those striving to achieve accredited status. The group meets monthly to provide its members with valuable training and resources to help provide guidance throughout various stages of the accreditation process. To learn more about CALEA and NNEPAC, please visit their websites: www.calea.org and nnepac.com.

One of the most notable benefits that the Portsmouth Police Department has capitalized on since becoming accredited is cost savings in insurance premiums through Primex. The department is eligible to receive these annual savings for as long as its accredited status is maintained.