Professionalism

The Garden City Police Department is a State Certified and Nationally Accredited agency.

National Accreditation

The Garden City Police Department was Nationally Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc (CALEA) in November 2003. There are several elements involved in maintaining this certification, one of which is public input regarding our agency’s compliance with CALEA accreditation standards, engagement in the community, delivery of public safety services, and overall candidacy for accredited status.

Please consider providing input.

Accreditation Public Comment

CALEA is a voluntary, non-governmental agency formed in 1979 by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the National Sheriff's Association (NSA), the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). Together, they have created a body of standards that have furthered the professional level of service offered by local law enforcement agencies.

Since the original accreditation date in 2003, Garden City’s Police Department has consistently maintained National Accreditation status. Of the more than 1,100 law enforcement agencies, we are one of only 68 police departments nationally accredited in Georgia. Our next re-accreditation assessment is scheduled for 2027. For more information on National Accreditation, please visit the CALEA website at www.calea.org.

State Certification

The Garden City Police Department Police Department achieved its initial state certification in 2003. Being a state-certified agency means the Police Department is committed to following a set of standards established as best practices by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. This commitment requires the agency to open its records and facilities every four years to a team of assessors from outside agencies. These assessors critically examine the agency by way of inspecting files and records, police vehicle fleets, communications centers, and evidence and property control functions to ensure that our policies and procedures meet or exceed acceptable law enforcement practices.

 

Currently, there are only 144 law enforcement agencies that are state-certified. The Garden City Police Department is one of only 39 law enforcement agencies that are both Nationally (CALEA) and state certified in Georgia. For more information on the State Certification Program, please visit the GACP website at www.gachiefs.com.