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Whiteville police earn CALEA accreditation; department unveils 2026–2031 strategic plan
Summary
An agency official announced the department received an outstanding CALEA accreditation award dated Nov. 15, 2025, and presented a draft 2026–2031 strategic plan focused on crime prevention, community partnership, technology and officer wellness.
An agency official told the Whiteville City Council that the police department received an outstanding CALEA accreditation award dated Nov. 15, 2025, and outlined a draft 2026–2031 strategic plan intended as a five-year blueprint for service and outreach.
"CALEA accreditation is a continuous process and serves as the foundation for a successful, well managed, transparent, community focused public safety agency," the agency official said, announcing the accreditation certificate that arrived in recent weeks.
The presenter described the strategic-plan process as grounded in community surveys, forums and staff input. He said survey responses indicated growing public concern about crime and strong willingness among residents to participate in neighborhood safety efforts; the transcript records two summary figures—a survey count reported as "73" on perceived increases in crime and a separate figure of 85% saying they would participate in a neighborhood crime-watch program. The department said those results helped shape priorities.
The plan lists priorities that include: (1) crime prevention and operational efficiency, with targeted responses to repeat offenders; (2) strengthening public trust and transparency through communications and outreach; (3) technology investments — including a platform called "CitizenConnect" and expanded license-plate reader use — to improve reporting and response times; and (4) facilities planning and officer wellness, with an emphasis on recruitment and retention.
The agency official said the strategic plan is a living document that can change with budgets and personnel, and that implementation measures will include survey-based metrics and operational targets. No formal council action on the plan was recorded in the transcript.
Why it matters: CALEA accreditation and a multi-year plan shape departmental priorities and influence staffing, procurement and community engagement. The presentation signaled specific near-term investments (CitizenConnect, LPRs) and personnel priorities (wellness and pay) that could affect budgets and public-safety operations going forward.
