SALISBURY — The Salisbury Police Department wants your thoughts as the agency works to obtain national accreditation. A team of assessors will be in Salisbury to examine the department on Monday, city officials said in a statement.

Seeking accreditation is on a voluntary basis and is an opportunity for the police department to demonstrate it meets an established set of professional standards. Those assessors are from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc.

“The accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations and support of those services,” said Salisbury Police Chief Jerry Stokes.

Stokes said the standards are designed to improve law enforcement professionalism and to increase citizen and employee confidence in the goals, objectives, policies and practices of the Salisbury Police Department. He said the department looks forward to the opportunity to review its policies and practices against a national standard.

“Re-accreditation reaffirms our commitment to high standards and our desire to provide high quality police service to our citizens,” Stokes said.

As part of an on-site assessment, members of the community and agency employees are invited to offer their comments during a public information session that will begin at 6 p.m. The session will be held in the police department’s training room at 130 E. Liberty St.

Anyone who isn’t able to speak during the information session but still wants to provide comments to the assessment team can do so by phone. Phone comments will be accepted on Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Calls can be made to 704-216-2726.

Comments during the public information session, as well as telephone comments, are to be limited to 10 minutes. The comments must address the agency’s ability to comply with accreditation standards.

Written comments about the Salisbury Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation can be sent to Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia 20155.

Copies of those standards are available at the police department. For more information, contact accreditation manager Diana Gonzalez at 704-638-4490.

“The assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar, but out-of-state agencies,” Gonzalez said. “The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other places where compliance can be witnessed.”

The assessors are retired Chief Stephen Walker of the Centerville Ohio Police Department and retired Lt. Harold LeMay of the Avon Connecticut Police Department.

Assessors report to the full commission once they complete their review of the police department. The commission will then decide if the department will be granted accredited status.

The accreditation review remains valid for four years, during which time the police department must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with those standards.

For more information about the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc., write the Commission at 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia 20155, or call 703-352-4225.