Spring ISD Police Department Earns TPCA Law Enforcement Accreditation
During its Sept. 12 regular meeting, the Spring ISD Board of Trustees hosted a special presentation made on behalf of the Texas Police Chiefs Association (TPCA), officially recertifying the Spring ISD Police Department under the statewide TPCA Law Enforcement Accreditation Program.
Of the 2,800 law enforcement agencies in Texas, only 197 agencies have ever achieved accredited status – which is 7% of Texas agencies. Additionally, Spring ISD Police was one of just seven school district-affiliated agencies in the state to make the cut.
In addition to the yearly review process required to remain a TPCA-accredited agency in good standing, the official re-accreditation includes a full onsite audit conducted every four years by visiting assessors, including police chiefs and law enforcement command officers from around the state. Spring ISD completed its most recent full audit over the summer months.
“Approximately eight years ago, the Spring ISD Police Department first attained their accredited status with the TPCA,” said Tomball Police Department Chief Jeff Bert, who was on hand to present the department with its certificate of re-accreditation. “And it was not easy to do. The agency had to conduct a complete audit of all of its policies, procedures and operations in order to meet these standards.
Law enforcement agencies taking part in the voluntary statewide program must prove that they meet or exceed 173 specific standards set by a team of Texas law enforcement leaders and industry professionals.
“The standards are based on Texas law, they’re based on court decisions, and on contemporary best practices as identified by the Texas Police Chiefs Association,” Bert said. “These standards address the full range of law enforcement operations, such as – importantly – use of force, protection of citizens’ rights, vehicle pursuits, the Constitution, property and evidence management, patrol, investigative operations, racial profiling, and it goes on.”
By continuing to meet the high standards required for reaccreditation, the district’s police department joins a very small percentage of top law enforcement agencies across Texas who can boast of their TPCA accredited status.
After accepting the certificate of renewed accreditation on behalf of the district’s police team, Spring ISD Police Chief Matthew Rodrigue thanked several members of the department whose work especially helped make the recertification possible: Lt. David Borchardt, who serves as the department’s team lead on the TPCA accreditation process; Lt. Andre Jones; Sgt. Laura Robeson; Sgt. Jarrod Morton; Cpl. Janet Helaire; Officer Shanee’ Clewis; and Officer Jessyca Aseme. Rodrigue also thanked his assistant and longtime department member Gretchen Mitchell.
“This sets a standard,” Rodrigue said of the TPCA program. “This sets the excellence mark for law enforcement in the State of Texas. They were doing this before I got here, and I’m very glad to be part of the team, over the past two years, that’s worked to get this reaccreditation.”
Board President Justine Durant congratulated Rodrigue and his whole department, adding that the trustees were especially proud to see Spring ISD leading the way among school district police departments in achieving the accreditation.
“We’re so proud of the work that you do, because we do community policing – we work with students, and it’s different than working in another agency,” Durant said. “This is an amazing accomplishment.”
More about the TPCA accreditation program can be found on the group’s website.
Source: Spring ISD
