The Oregon Accreditation Alliance exists to improve the quality of law enforcement agencies in the State of Oregon and ultimately the quality of services provided to the citizens of this state.

The Oregon Accreditation Alliance was formed in April 2001. It was created under the direction and authority of the Oregon Association Chiefs of Police, the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association, and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials. The Alliance mutually supports and endorses the continued improvement of law enforcement and emergency communications services by establishing professional standards of accountability, management, and operations.

The Oregon Accreditation Alliance is governed by the Oregon Accreditation Alliance Board. The Board is composed of representatives from the Oregon Association Chiefs of Police, the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association, and the Oregon Chapter of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials. The purpose of the PSC is to review all agencies being presented for state accreditation to ensure that compliance with all applicable standards has been met. If all requirements have been met, the Board nominates the candidate agency to the respective parent organization for the award of state accreditation.

The Oregon Accreditation Alliance Board meets a minimum of four times each year, in the months of January, April, June and September.

Resources:

Oregon Accreditation Alliance Website

VISIT SITE

What is the process?

Application Phase:
The agency applies for membership in the Oregon Accreditation Alliance, completes a working agreement, and receives necessary materials to assist in the next phases.

Self-Assessment Phase:
The agency determines its level of compliance with Oregon Accreditation Alliance standards. Files are established where proofs of compliance are compiled. In this phase all agency policies and procedures undergo a review, and are updated/revised as necessary.

Onsite Assessment:
One or more Oregon Accreditation Alliance assessor(s) reviews the agency’s policies, procedures, and practices against the standards to ensure necessary compliance is met. A report is then compiled and forwarded to the Oregon Accreditation Alliance Board for review and nomination to award accreditation made to the respective parent organization (OACP, OSSA, APCO).

Review and Decision:
The governing Board of the respective parent organization reviews the OAA Board nomination and decides to award or defer accreditation. A date, time and location are arranged for formal presentation of the award, which is usually at the respective parent organization’s annual banquet.

Re-Accreditation:
In order to maintain accredited status, agencies must provide annual documentation of continued compliance and undergo an onsite assessment every three years.

How long does it take to prepare an agency for an onsite assessment?

On average, it takes approximately 18-24 months to prepare an agency for an onsite assessment. Depending on agency circumstances or impacts, the time frame can be shorter or longer.

Does the Accreditation Manager need to be assigned full-time to preparing the agency for an onsite assessment?

No, that is not necessary. Most agencies do not have sufficient resources to assign someone full-time as an Accreditation Manager. The majority of Accreditation Managers already have other full-time responsibilities. If done properly, the entire agency will be involved in the preparation process.