In order for the South Hadley Police Department to be recognized as an accredited agency, Police Chief Jennifer Gundersen has requested an on-site assessment by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.
Verification by an assessment team that the South Hadley department meets the Commission’s standards is part of a voluntary process to gain state accreditation -- a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.
To that end, I am pleased to announce that a team of assessors (identified below) is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday March 8, 2022 to begin the two-day assessment. The team is comprised of five local law enforcement officials, all of whom have been specially trained by the Commission to conduct the assessment.
Team Leader: Lt. Donald Williams Sharon Police Department (Ret.)
Assessors: Capt. Victor Caputo Northampton Police Department
Lt. Thomas O’Donnell UMass Amherst Police Department
Lt. Brian Daly Amherst Police Department
Lt. Jeremy Kenneson Smith College Campus Safety
While at the South Hadley Police Department, the assessors will be working out of the South Hadley Police Department training room examining departmental policies, facilities and equipment. The assessors will be speaking to members of the department to assess the departments’ adherence to policies and best practice as set by the Commission.
As part of the assessment process, any South Hadley community stakeholder may offer comments to the Commission about the South Hadley Police Department as they pertain to the accreditation standards. Community members may speak with the assessors directly during their visit or may send written comments to the Commission prior to the assessment at the following address: Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission, 110 Haverhill Road – Suite 397 – Amesbury, MA 01913 or info@masspoliceaccred.net. Community members that would like to review the standards for state accreditation or have any questions about the upcoming assessment, may contact Sgt. Mark Baran, our Accreditation Manager, at baranm@southhadleypolice.org.