EAST BRUNSWICK–The East Brunswick Police Department was recognized for earning its accreditation by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Accreditation Commission (NJSACOP).
By earning its accreditation, Police Chief James Conroy said “[it] demonstrates that we are operating under best practices with our policies, procedures, rules and regulations. It’s something we are very proud of. It equivocates to better policing for our citizens and we have great people and we have great policies and produces.”
Second Vice President of the NJSACOP John Zebrowski, who is also the chief of the Sayreville Police Department, presented Conroy with a Certificate of Accreditation on July 22 during the East Brunswick Township Council meeting.
“It is not simply an accomplishment that was gained by our police department, it is an achievement that was gained by yourselves as well as the community at large,” Zebrowski said. “It’s easy to say that it’s just a certificate that’s going to be hanging on a wall, but ladies and gentlemen, what it is is a living and breathing document that provides your police department with several essential characteristics that’s unlike the majority of police departments in the State of New Jersey.”
Zebrowski said at the current time, New Jersey has less accredited police departments than accredited ones.
“It was an 18-month job that took every member of our department to put together to get it done. I want to thank Sgt. Jason Fama and Sgt. Frank Sutter, who was the accreditation manager, and [Fama] who was the assistant accreditation manager,” Conroy said. “This would have not have been accomplished without them, so I am indebted to them for it.”
Zebrowski said earning accreditation is a very difficult process to go through and to succeed, so the police department and the officers that were heading the accreditation process should be commended, particularly Conroy who spearheaded the effort.
“What do you get for that? Again, a living and breathing document. It’s about accountability, it’s transparency, it’s about responsibility and professionalism and that’s what your police department has altogether,” Zebrowski said. “Now, it had it before to a certain degree, but now it [has] the opportunity to be able to shine as one of the state’s few and proud accredited agencies.”
Zebrowski said New Jersey has 110 guidelines and standards that are put together for the state and its police departments.
Mayor Brad Cohen said, “We have a great police department, but this actually proves it. This is a group of your peers who have developed what they feel are the top guidelines and they don’t give it to everybody. I know that from the first time I met [Conroy] that this was one of his goals before he retired, so I think he should be commended on taking this department to a position where it was able to achieve this type of recognition.”
For more information, visit www.njsacop.org.
Contact Vashti Harris at vharris@newspapermediagroup.com.
