North Gwinnett News

The Gwinnett County Police Department is the first agency in the state to garner a Tri Arc endorsement.

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) issues the award to agencies that have CALEA accreditation for their law enforcement, public safety communications and public safety training agencies, according to the CALEA website.

The department made the announcement on Twitter, saying that its Training Academy was in full compliance.  

‘’Chief McClure is proud to announce that the Gwinnett County Police Department is the first law enforcement agency in Georgia to obtain CALEA Tri Arc status. The Training Academy completed 100% of their other than mandatory standards,” the department wrote.

Chief J.D. McClure said that he was honored that the department has been recognized, saying that it showed the law enforcement’s commitment to serving the community.

 "I am extremely proud that our agency has achieved this rare accreditation, and I believe that this accomplishment goes to the heart of our agency's commitment to providing professional law enforcement services to our community,” McClure said in a press release. “Our agency is committed to excellence and upholding our values of integrity, courtesy, pride, and professional growth. I would like to thank our accreditation team and all members of the agency for their efforts in achieving this goal."  

The commission unanimously voted to award the Gwinnett Police with the prestigious merit of excellence during its Fall Virtual Conference on Nov 18.

The department earned accreditations in communications and training from CALEA, earning the Tri Arc recognition – a distinction that only 21 other agencies in the country, and 27 internationally, have achieved, according to the press release.

“Verification that the Communications Center and Training Academy meets the Commission's state-of-the-art and internationally recognized standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation, the highly prized recognition of public safety professionalism and excellence,” the press release said. “The assessment team is composed of public safety practitioners from similar but out-of-state agencies. Accreditation is relevant for four years. During this time, the agency must submit annual reports and complete annual remote web-based assessments to show continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.”