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Highland Beach police earn flawless accreditation; building recertification and fire inspections continue
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Summary
The police department received a "flawless" recertification from the Florida Commission on Accreditation. Commissioners also honored Assistant Fire Chief Tom McCarthy on his retirement. Staff reported 28 buildings completed recertification since July and ongoing fire safety inspections and false‑alarm fee enforcement.
The Town of Highland Beach on Nov. 4 recognized a series of public‑safety developments: the police department received a Florida Commission on Accreditation re‑certification with a flawless report; the commission honored retiring Assistant Fire Chief Tom McCarthy; and staff provided an update on the building‑recertification program and fire inspections.
Police accreditation Chief Hartman presented the Florida Commission on Accreditation certification award, saying the department had received a flawless report following an in‑depth tri‑annual assessment. He credited accreditation training manager Eric Aronowitz for leading policy, training and evidence management efforts. "This is not an easy process to do. It takes commitment, it takes time," the chief said; he added that other, larger agencies had requested copies of Highland Beach policies after the assessment.
Fire department retirement The commission presented a plaque to Assistant Fire Chief Tom McCarthy and commissioners praised his role in establishing the town—s fire‑rescue agency. McCarthy, speaking to the commission, thanked town leadership and firefighters and described pride in building the agency.
Building recertification and fire inspections Staff reported 28 buildings had completed recertification since July and 21 were under active permit; two buildings were approaching the ordinance—s strike zone related to building‑age thresholds. The manager said the town is working with building owners to complete requirements and with the fire department to sequence fire‑safety work. Commissioners noted the work is costly for some owners and that the town adjusted false‑alarm fees to recoup emergency‑response costs; staff said the change aims to reduce repeated false‑alarm responses.
What comes next Staff will continue to process recertifications and fire‑safety inspections and to monitor compliance timelines. The police chief and accreditation manager received formal commendations for department policies and training that staff said contributed to the flawless accreditation result.
