The Penn Police Department received national accreditation March 24, making it the first university police department in the state of Pennsylvania to achieve this distinction, said Chief of Police Maureen Rush.

The accreditation, awarded by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, caps a four-year process which required on-site visits, interviews and written documentation. The CALEA assessors analyzed all aspects of the UPPD’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services, Rush said.

“By obtaining accredited status, the UPPD is now among an elite group of professional law enforcement agencies that have demonstrated excellence and professionalism in the delivery of law enforcement services to the communities they serve,” Rush said.

Only 28 other campus police agencies across the United States are also currently accredited by CALEA and only a handful of regular police departments in the state have received the accreditation.

The accreditation must be renewed every three years. Deputy Chief Michael Fink and Sgt. Gary Heller were instrumental in ushering the process along.