Monroeville — The Monroeville Police Department was publicly presented with an accreditation certificate Tuesday after a multi‑year review by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association.

The certificate, presented at the Borough Council meeting, recognizes that the department met a set of professional standards covering policy, training and operations. Jim Adams, Chief of Police Accreditation Program Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, said the program compares a department’s policies against a body of standards and requires proof that staff follow those policies.

"We have 125 standards or best practices in providing professional law enforcement services to respective communities," Adams told the council during the presentation. He said the individual standards include multiple elements and that, taken together, the accreditation reflects about "370 best practices" the department demonstrated. "For every one of those 370 best practices to get this certificate, they had to have a minimum of two proofs of compliance," Adams said.

Why it matters: Accreditation signals that a police agency has documented policies and verifiable evidence that officers follow them, a factor Adams said insurance companies and federal grant programs increasingly recognize. Adams also read a portion of the assessors' on‑site report praising the department’s professionalism: "The Monroeville Police Department is a professionally run agency. Throughout the on‑site assessment, everyone presented themselves in a very professional manner, were extremely knowledgeable about their areas of responsibility."

What the accreditation requires: Adams explained the credential is not permanent. Agencies must file an annual self‑assessment and, on a three‑year cycle, undergo a new on‑site assessment. The accreditation program began in February 2001; Adams said the association has accredited about 220 Pennsylvania agencies since then and currently lists 192 accredited agencies. He also noted Monroeville is among the roughly 17 percent of Pennsylvania municipal police agencies with accreditation and that 17 departments in Allegheny County hold accredited status.

Monroeville officials and staff recognized the work involved. Chief Paul Cole accepted the certificate on behalf of the department and thanked officers and municipal staff who supported the effort. Council members and the mayor joined the presentation, and Adams urged the borough to notify its insurance carrier of the accreditation because, he said, statistics show accredited agencies face fewer successful lawsuits and lower payouts when suits occur.

No formal council vote was required for the certificate presentation; the event was a recognition of the accreditation awarded by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association and the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission.

Council context and next steps: Adams told council members the department must submit annual reports and prepare for the next full reassessment in three years. Borough officials and the police chief did not announce additional programmatic changes at the meeting.

Acknowledgements and credits: Adams repeatedly thanked Michelle (identified in the meeting as the department’s accreditation manager) and rank‑and‑file officers for their roles in assembling documentation and demonstrating compliance during assessors' visits.

— Reporting by Monroeville Borough Council meeting transcript; quotes and details are taken from statements by Jim Adams and Chief Paul Cole during the Aug. 12, 2025 council meeting.