Franklin Police Department wins state accreditation; chief recognizes staff and flags future radio upgrade update

The Franklin Police Department has earned full state accredited status, Chief Francis told the City Council during the April 13 work session.

"Achieving Glexi accreditation is a proud moment for the Franklin Police Department," the chief said, describing accreditation as a voluntary, comprehensive process evaluated against 192 standards covering policies, training, use of force, evidence handling and community engagement. He said the process included a thorough internal review and an independent on-site assessment by trained evaluators and that the accreditation recognizes the department's commitment to professionalism and accountability.

Chief Francis singled out Brent Gale and Sergeant Renzetti for leadership during the multi-year effort and said the department will present a brief update on a radio communications project at a future meeting. He noted that, of nearly 400 law-enforcement agencies in Virginia, about 114 have achieved state accredited status, placing Franklin among a limited group.

Nut graf: The accreditation marks an externally validated milestone for department policies and practices; council members congratulated staff and welcomed the forthcoming communications update.

The chief said accreditation documents that not only do appropriate policies exist but that the agency demonstrates active compliance with those policies. Council members applauded and thanked the department for the work.

The department will prepare a summary of next steps and timelines for the council ahead of the planned radio communications presentation.