A team of assessors from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) will arrive on April 27, 2013 to examine all aspects of the University of Southern California, Department of Public Safety policies and procedures, management, operations and support services, John Thomas, Chief of Public Safety announced today.

Verification by the team that the Department of Public Safety meets lACLEA’s state-of-the-art standards for campus law enforcement and public safety is part of a voluntary process to gain reaccreditation – a highly prized recognition of public safety professional excellence, Chief Thomas said.

Agency employees and the public are invited to offer comments directly to the assessment team members by calling (213) 821-1249 on Monday, April 29, 2013 between the hours of 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM.  

Telephone comments should address the department’s ability to comply with lACLEA’s standards.  A copy of the standards is available at the Department of Public Safety located in Parking Structure A, 3667 S. McClintock Ave.  Please contact Capt. David Carlisle, 213-740-1934, to view the standards.

Anyone wishing to submit written comments about the Department of Public Safety’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to IACLEA, 342 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06117-2507.

The Department of Public Safety must comply with more than 200 public safety standards, in order to achieve accredited status.  Successful reaccreditation publicly demonstrates that USC’s Department of Public Safety continues to comply with the nation’s highest standards and best practices for campus law enforcement.    

The Accreditation Manager for the Department of Public Safety is Lieutenant David E. Brunckhurst.  Lt. Brunckhurst said the assessment team is composed of experienced campus law enforcement professionals from out-of-state.  The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and inspect facilities where compliance can be observed.  The assessors are: Team Leader Captain Gary Heller, Amtrack Police Department, Pennsylvania, formerly from the University of Pennsylvania; and, Chief Nicholas J. Halias (Ret.), University of New Hampshire.  Once the assessors complete their review of the department, they will report back to IACLEA, where the IACLEA Board will decide if the department is to be granted continuing accredited status, according to USC DPS Public Information Officer, Captain David Carlisle.

Reaccreditation is for four (4) years, during which the department must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited and all subsequent revisions and additions issued by IACLEA.