UNC Public Safety Nabs National Recognition

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, an independent law enforcement watchdog organization, presented DPS with the reaccreditation in Burlington, Vt., on Saturday.

Accreditation for the University's DPS means that it complies with 439 law enforcement rules and regulations.

"We are meeting nationally accepted professional standards, and we feel it is important to students, parents, faculty and prospective students," said DPS Director Derek Poarch.

"The first accreditation was in 1995 for an initial period of five years, and (DPS) was accredited under a smaller agency."

He said University police department merged with the parking and transportation department in 1996 to collectively form the Department of Public Safety.

"This reaccreditation (of the merged departments) is under much stricter standards and more standards because of the department's size," Poarch said.

This reaccreditation will last three years, and the accreditation process will occur every three years from now on.

Poarch said many changes have been made since the initial accreditation process in 1995. "We are constantly changing," he said. "Everything we do by reorganizing or changing responsibilities has to be documented and part of the overall accreditation."

But Poarch said he feels the department has not reached its full potential.

"It is always a constant improvement," he said. "We should certainly strive daily to continue with the community-oriented policing philosophy, improve customer service and maximize our use of available technology."

Though many students do not realize the importance of DPS's accreditation, some students say they are pleased with their experiences with DPS.

"I think that (DPS) is good," said freshman Susie Cartin from Statesville. "When I got a ticket, it was an easy process to get it appealed, and they were very nice."

But some students do not agree that the accreditations' high standards are being met.

"I think campus safety is being hugely compromised by all the construction going on," said Amanda Bock, a senior psychology major. She said more police should be present at night to escort students home, especially along the alternate routes that the construction has created.

But Poarch said he recognizes the need for constant improvement. "I am not the kind of person that will ever be satisfied, and I think our department is the type that will never be satisfied and continually seek ways to improve itself."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.