LVPD earns three-year accreditation following audit
The Las Vegas Police Department has earned accreditation through a statewide program, the department announced last week.
According to an LVPD press release, the department has once again gained accreditation from the New Mexico Law Enforcement Professional Standards Council through the New Mexico Municipal League.
“The accreditation serves as the New Mexico Municipal League’s recognition that (the) Las Vegas Police Department operates at or above the standards that (NMML) have outlined,” Bibb told the Optic via email. “It also serves as a sign to the people of Las Vegas that the police department is performing at or above the level of every other accredited police department.”
Bibb said the accreditation also means the department will receive an insurance discount that will save money for taxpayers.
“An accredited police department receives an additional 5 percent discount on current insurance rates, which translates roughly to $35,000 annually,” Bibb said. “This savings is transferred back to the City of Las Vegas and its citizens.”
The NMML accreditation is valid for three years; the department last earned accreditation in 2016.
Scott Chambers, the program manager for NMML’s accreditation program did not respond to the Optic’s request for an interview, but according to documentation on NMML’s website, the voluntary accreditation program provides law enforcement agencies a way to evaluate and improve overall performance.
Using the policy framework laid out by NMML, law enforcement agencies can set and evaluate policies and procedures, and then have those policies verified by NMML. The accreditation process begins with a department submitting an application, then a law enforcement agency must conduct a self-evaluation.
That evaluation is followed up by an on-site assessment and audit by the New Mexico Law Enforcement Professional Standards Council.
Bibb said that LVPD’s on-site audit began on Oct. 28, and concluded Oct. 30 with NMML recommending reaccreditation for the department. According to Bibb, during the audit, LVPD’s files were inspected and the department’s policies for record keeping, evidence collection and storage, professional standards and police procedures were reviewed.
“This audit, and the process leading up to it, illustrate how dedicated the officers and staff are,” Bibb said. “The people of Las Vegas can be sure that their police department is achieving and maintaining the highest standards of professionalism.”
