UIC Police first fully accredited university force

The UIC Police became the first university police force in Illinois to receive full accreditation from the Commission for the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies, a national credentialing authority for municipal, county and state agencies.

The three-year accreditation came after years of preparation by the department and a lengthy evaluation that included a site visit by inspectors last fall.

During their visit, the inspectors rode on patrols and interviewed individual officers, sought public comments and read complaint files. They also reviewed the department’s written policies and procedures for compliance with 464 standards on management, operations and support services, said Lt. Joanne Nee, accreditation manager for the UIC Police.

The accreditation process seeks to improve police service by strengthening crime prevention and control; formalizing management procedures and establishing fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices; solidifying interagency coordination; and increasing community confidence, according to the commission’s website.

Chief John W. Richardson says the key to the department’s excellence is its people, from the command staff to the patrol officers.

“We start by hiring outstanding officers who are dedicated to the community, to the campus, and to law enforcement professionalism,” Richardson said.

“Then we train, train, train to make ourselves better.”

The UIC Police is a sworn force of officers with arrest powers throughout the state. The department works closely with Chicago Police and other municipal departments, as well as county and other public safety agencies. The UIC department has a long history of community policing.