A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. will arrive in Arlington on January 24 to examine the City of Arlington Dispatch Services. The team will review division policies, procedures, management and operations, according to Communications Manager Jayme Cole.

The assessment team is made up of public safety communications practitioners from similar out-of-state agencies who will review written materials, conduct interviews and on-site office visits.

As part of the on-site assessment process, employees and residents of the community are invited to provide public input on January 27 between 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. On January 27, Arlington residents can call 817-296-0176 to offer comments. Telephone comments should be limited to 10 minutes and must address Arlington Dispatch Service’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. A copy of the standards is available online at www.ci.arlington.tx.us/dispatchservices. To review the standards in person, call 817-543-5903.

Written comments about Arlington Dispatch Service's ability to comply with CALEA standards for accreditation can be mailed to: The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA), 10306 Eaton Place, Suite 320, Fairfax, Virginia 22030-2201.

"Verification by the team that Arlington's Dispatch Services Division is meeting commission standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation," Cole said. "It is considered to be a highly prized recognition of 9-1-1/Dispatch excellence."

According to Cole, Arlington's Dispatch Services must comply with a total of 219 standards in order to gain accreditation.

"Accreditation is our way of assuring the citizens and visitors to Arlington that they can always count on their 9-1-1 and dispatch services," Cole said.

The Accreditation Program Manager for Arlington Dispatch Services is Communications Supervisor T. K. Ivie. She can be reached at 817-543-5903.