Lafayette Marshal’s Office Seeking Accreditation and Extra Funds

The Lafayette City Marshal says that they are extremely excited about receiving tens of thousands of dollars in grant money to continue their CALEA accreditation plans. Reggie Thomas says as soon as he was sworn into office as Lafayette City Marshal he put a team together to begin the accreditation process from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

The Marshals' Office will be getting a total of $74,211 from the office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

Thomas says,

My team and I have been working on this grant since mid-year, we are excited to receive the news about the award, and we look forward to continuing the process of acquiring the accreditation for this office.

Marshal Thomas says the application process for the grant was sent off, and they were hoping for some funding, be he says they will be able to fund the entire process with this money.

What will the money be used for?

According to Marshal Thomas, there are a variety of things the money will be used for including the following:

• Purchasing software
• Pay for training conferences
• Fees associated with the CALEA accreditation process

Why does having CALEA accreditation matter?

Thomas says it all really comes down to professional service to the public. He says this process would mean they are following all of the professional standards set by CALEA.

Thomas says,

The CALEA accreditation is essential. It is one of my main goals and is so important because it holds us accountable. It promotes transparency, self-reflection, and besides recognizing our office, it upholds us to high standards we must follow.

The Lafayette City Marshal's Office is charged with following the mandates of Lafayette City Court. In addition, they provide security for judges, staff, and anyone in the court.