Police Department Earns National Accreditation

The Providence, Rhode Island, police department has earned national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

The department says it is the largest municipal police department in New England to be nationally accredited. It met 188 standards to show it is working within the best practices of law enforcement.

Police Chief Hugh Clements Jr. says earning the accreditation is a remarkable accomplishment and will be an invaluable asset in the future.

The commission also awarded an "accreditation with excellence" under the most stringent assessment model to the Rhode Island State Police. It was the seventh accreditation award for the agency.

About 5 percent of U.S. law enforcement agencies are accredited nationally by the commission.

The awards were presented last week in Albuquerque, New Mexico.