The Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission (RIPAC) recently held an awards and accreditation ceremony to recognize several departments across the state.

The event, held Wednesday, June 30, at the Great Hall at the Community College of Rhode Island’s Warwick campus, highlighted 14 police departments for achieving accreditation status during the past year.

“We offer our sincerest congratulations to each of the newly accredited departments, reaccredited departments and individual awards winners,” RIPAC Chairman Chief Richard St. Sauveur said. “Rhode Island is a nationwide leader in accreditation participation, and it is because of agencies and individuals such as those we honor here today that our program continues to be as successful as it is.”

Departments receiving recognition included:

Initial accreditation: Lincoln Police, Tiverton Police, Community College of Rhode Island Police, Rhode Island College Police

Reaccreditation: Glocester Police, Charlestown Police, North Kingstown Police, Pawtucket Police, Portsmouth Police, Rhode Island Capitol Police, Woonsocket Police, West Warwick Police

CALEA agencies attaining RIPAC reaccreditation: Cranston Police, Smithfield Police

(Note: CALEA, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, is a national credentialing authority) “Accreditation is no easy task for a department to achieve,” RIPAC Executive Director Christine Crocker said. “All of these agencies worked extremely hard and diligently to maintain these high standards, even despite the pandemic. Having been an accreditation manager myself I know how difficult the process is, and my hat goes off to each department honored here today.”

In addition to accreditation recognition, the following awards were presented:

Chief Anthony M. Pesare Leadership Award:

Paul F. Dutra, esq., property/liability claims manager for the Rhode Island Interlocal Risk Management Trust

Assessor of the Year:

Capt. Matthew Benson, Johnston Police Department

Accreditation Manager of the Year:

Lt. Diana Perez, North Providence Police Department; Sgt. Ricardo D. Mourato, Bristol Police Department

RIPAC first held an awards ceremony in 2019, but was unable to hold an in-person event last year due to the pandemic.

Despite the pandemic, the Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission worked hard to ensure the strict accreditation process was followed for those agencies going through the accreditation process.

Normally RIPAC would conduct accreditation evaluations in person, but due to the pandemic part of their work over the past year and a half was done remotely. It was a challenge to keep the process thorough while also abiding by health and safety precautions.

Nearly 100 percent of departments in the state participate in the accreditation program, and after the June 30 ceremony 34 of 46 agencies in the state will have achieved accreditation status.