Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Taylor Police Department wins reaccreditation from Texas Police Chiefs Association
Summary
Taylor Police Department received reaccreditation from the Texas Police Chiefs Association after a multi-year review, officials said, a recognition that officials said affirms adherence to statewide best practices.
The Texas Police Chiefs Association reaccredited the Taylor Police Department in a presentation to the Taylor City Council on Nov. 8, 2025, recognizing the department’s compliance with state best-practice standards.
The reaccreditation program requires agencies to demonstrate compliance with more than 173 standards rooted in Texas law, court precedents and accepted policing practices, Scott Holt, lead accreditation assessor for the Texas Police Chiefs Association, told the council. Holt said the program is voluntary and the Taylor department first became accredited in February 2021.
Holt said the TPCA review included an on-site assessment of facilities, interviews and a review of policies and procedures. “The assessment findings are then reviewed by the TPCA accreditation committee, a panel of nine chiefs and sheriffs from across the state. Following their review, their recommendation was unanimous to reaccredit the Taylor Police Department,” Holt said. He noted about 224 of the roughly 2,800 law enforcement agencies in Texas hold accreditation.
Interim Chief Joseph Branson accepted the certificate on behalf of the department and thanked council and staff for support. “It is with great honor and pride that we accept this from you and the Best Practices Association,” Branson said. City leaders said the designation indicates the department’s ongoing work on transparency, training and accountability, and that the department must submit annual compliance reports and undergo another on-site assessment in four years to retain the status.
Council members publicly congratulated the department. Mayor Pro Tem Samir Smerek and Councilwoman Shelly Cobb both praised officers’ service; Cobb recounted regular civic appreciation for first responders while Mayor Dwayne Areola (who signed the Arbor Day proclamation later in the meeting) joined the congratulations. No action or vote was required; the presentation was part of recognitions on the meeting agenda.
The city will continue to report to TPCA as required and prepare for the next comprehensive on-site review in four years.
