OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL ACHIEVES INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION

NASHVILLE, TN - The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has achieved accreditation from an international law enforcement credentialing authority, joining an elite group of over 500 law enforcement agencies. The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) granted the accreditation after an intense voluntary application process.

“Tennesseans expect public services to take extraordinary steps to demonstrate professionalism and quality service, and we’re proud to have met the high international standard the public deserves,” Inspector General Deborah Y. Faulkner said. “We chose to undergo the intense review necessary for accreditation in order to ensure that we can deliver the high level of professionalism the state expects.”

CALEA, an independent, nonprofit organization created in 1979 provides law enforcement agencies an opportunity to voluntarily demonstrate that they meet an established set of professional standards. Accreditation improves the delivery of public safety services, primarily by maintaining a body of standards covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initiatives and recognizing professional excellence.

Agencies applying for CALEA accreditation must meet or exceed over 445 standards addressing all areas of administration, operation and technical support activities. The agency receives a vigorous onsite assessment by a team trained by CALEA. The assessors carefully review policy, observe procedures, interview personnel and seek public input from the community. The team’s final report formsthe basis for a post-assessment hearing before the CALEA Commission. The three-year accreditation requires an agency’s commitment to maintain compliance with standards and offers an opportunity for reaccredidation of their compliance in the future.

The Office of Inspector General was created in 2004 to investigate fraud in the state’s TennCare program for Medicaid-eligible Tennesseans and uninsured children.