HYDE PARK — The University of Chicago Police Department is hosting a public hearing as it seeks recognition from the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
The commission will send assessors to review the campus police force on April 1 and will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. at the university police headquarters, 6054 S. Drexel Blvd., to hear from those served by the 100-officer strong department.
The accreditation process is voluntary, and the assessors will look over policies and procedures, management, operations and support services.
“Accreditation provides the incentive an agency needs to continually review existing policies and procedures while providing updated guidelines that are recognized by experts as the current standard,” said Marlon C. Lynch, chief of the university police department.
"One of the most significant and immediately identified benefits of being an accredited agency is the complete review and rewriting of our general order.”
The private police force has recently come under criticism for not sharing its policies and releasing more information to the public.
For those unable to make it to the meeting, the assessors are accepting comments from the public by phone from 2-4 p.m. April 2 at 773-834-1550.
