The Washington State Patrol’s (WSP) Communications Division and Training Division have been working hard toward a common goal; Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) Accreditation.  This is one of the many ways the WSP is constantly striving towards our vision of being the best public safety agency in the United States.  Our mission is to make a difference every day, enhancing the safety and security of our state by providing the best in public safety services, and doing so with humility; this is our next step to enhancing our service to the citizens of the State of Washington.

Over the past 2.5 years, members of both divisions along with specialists from the Risk Management Division have spent countless hours working through agency policy, training, and processes to come in to compliance with international best practices that align with the Law Enforcement Accreditation currently held by the WSP for over 30 years.  In early 2021, the Communications and Training Divisions will undergo an individual electronic review, in which CALEA Service Members will verify each group’s compliance within their individual standards.  Upon successful completion of this electronic review, CALEA Assessors will conduct site visits, where they will complete employee interviews, and tour our facilities.

After passing both the electronic review/final assessment, and with approval from the commission, the WSP Communications and Training Divisions will be awarded with Initial Accreditation by CALEA.  By doing so, WSP will also receive the CALEA Tri-Arc Award; only 24 of 744 agencies internationally have achieved this status.

You can find more information on the WSP Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals on wsp.wa.gov “Our Mission” page along with our Strategic Plan, and annual reports.  More information on CALEA can be found by visiting https://www.calea.org/.