GBPD Earns 3-Year Re-accreditation from State Commission

The Great Barrington Police Department has received a three-year state re-accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.

Accreditation is a voluntary, self-initiated evaluation process by which police departments strive to meet and maintain standards that have been established for and by the profession. These standards reflect critical areas of police management, operations and technical support activities, such as policy development, emergency response planning, training, communications, property and evidence handling, use of force, vehicular pursuit, prisoner transportation and holding facilities. The program not only sets standards for the law enforcement profession but also for the delivery of police services to citizens of the Commonwealth.

Under the leadership of Chief William Walsh, the GBPD was assessed in October by a team of Commission-appointed assessors. The assessment team found the department in compliance with all 326 accreditation standards for three prior years.

The Commission offers two program awards: certification and accreditation, with accreditation being the higher of the two. 

The Great Barrington Selectboard offered congratulations to the GBPD on this milestone achievement at the board’s Feb. 24 meeting.