The West Windsor Township Police Department has been recognized as an accredited police force by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). The program that is sponsored by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police. The accreditation is valid for three years.##M:[more]##
West Windsor is the second municipality in the area to achieve the honor. Princeton Boro became accredited earlier this year, and Ewing is currently undergoing the review process.
“This is a great compliment to our police officers,” said Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh. “This benefits the whole community through lower insurance costs for our police department and knowing that the policies and procedures followed by our police have been objectively evaluated as meeting national standards.”
Chief Joseph Pica and the department worked for two years to prepare itself for the evaluation. “The accreditation process motivated us to take a look at how we do things and see how it compares to the national standards that have been set.”
According to Pica, in most cases, the police department policies and procedures had been done correctly, and most of the changes in the department had to do with documentation of department functions.
There are 146 standards that need to be met for a department to attain accreditation. A list of the standards, set by the New Jersey Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, can be found at West Windsor police headquarters.
Sergeant William Bastedo has spearheaded the West Windsor campaign for accreditation. Bastedo is in his 20th year with the department, and is himself an assessor. “The process got us to realize what our goals are. Everybody has been involved, and everyone is on the same page,” says Bastedo.
“This will give our officers a sense of pride to know what they’re doing is recognized,” said Pica.
West Windsor also showed recognition for what their policemen are doing by approving a salary and wage plan for the Policemen’s Benevolent Association through 2009. Under the new plan, first-year patrolmen make $44,”090, and will make $45,”832 by 2009. Second-year officers are now paid $59,”647, and will be paid $64,”328 by 2009. For third year, the range is $64,”572, and will step up to $69,”640. Fourth-year wages are now $$69,”891, and will be $75,”377 by the end of the agreement. A fifth-year man now makes 75,”664, and will make $81,”602 by 2009. Sixth year, $81,”894 now, and $88,”322 in 2009. In the seventh year of service, an officer now makes $86,”417, and will make $93,”199 in 2009.
First-year sergeants will make $95,”724 in 2007. Second year sergeants now make $96,”224. Both pay rates will increase to $103,”776 by 2009.
