This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The West Valley City Police Department has received national accreditation from an independent police commission — the first Utah police agency to obtain such approval.
In a Tuesday news release, department officials called the accreditation a "three-and-a-half-year journey," noting that less than 5 percent of police departments obtain the accreditation standard nationwide. In a statement, Chief Lee Russo said the accreditation review was about "holding yourself accountable."
"Aligning the department's operations and policies with CALEA standards is a painstaking and intensive process requiring a critical review of the entire police department," said Russo, hired in 2013 to reform the department.
CALEA assessors visited the department last fall. The department was required to show it was in compliance with 159 "best practices" standards governing policing, including internal and public transparency standards, officials said. The assessors also sought feedback from the community.
"[T]here's clearly a flavor, a theme [that] things have changed over the last three years, and it's being favorably received and reported," CALEA assessor Rob Sofie said in the release.
Officials said the accreditation is an ongoing commitment, as they must submit for an independent audit of department practices every three years.
In 2012 and 2013, the department was under fire over allegations of mishandling of evidence by members of its Neighborhood Narcotics Unit and the fatal shooting of an unarmed woman. An investigation led to the dismissal of dozens of criminal cases and new leadership in the police force.
Twitter: @lramseth