Bristol Police Department Earns Re-Accreditation

The Bristol Town Council ended the public portion of its meeting Wednesday evening, Nov. 20, by getting some very good news.

The Bristol Police Department has been reaccredited for a third time, said Police Chief Josue Canario.

Canario’s announcement brought applause from the town councilors, other officials and a handful of onlookers. 

The reaccreditation comes from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) – a national accreding agency. Its standards and guidelines are considered benchmarks for law enforcement agencies.

CALEA has been examining all aspects of the police department’s policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services since last summer.

Meeting CALEA’s national standards for police departments is a voluntary process. It is a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence, Canario said when the organizations assessors came to Bristol to take a first-hand look at the department.

Police department employees and community members also were asked to submit comments at a public information session held in Town Hall in early August.