LITITZ BOROUGH - Today, the LBPD filed a certification notification letter with the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association for the credentialing of the LBPD for compliance with the requirements of an executive order for police agencies and best practices concerning policy and training.  This process was immediately achievable by the LBPD for agency compliance since most of the mandatory areas are already in place through the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation process.

As an Accredited agency, the LBPD was able to provide immediate policy and training proofs for the areas of certification and credentialing pursuant to the executive order.

On October 28, 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the standards for Certifying Safe Policing Practices by Law Enforcement Agencies.  Executive order 13929 requires that all state, local and university law enforcement agencies be certified by independent credentialing agencies.  The executive order requires agencies to meet two standards in order to be successfully credentialed:

     1. That the agency's use-of-force policies prohibit chokeholds, except in situations where the use of deadly force is allowed; and

     2. That the agency's use-of-force policies adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws.

The DOJ's certification standards encourage an independent assessment of law enforcement policies and procedures, such as:

    1. Training protocols on use-of-force;

    2. Training protocols on de-escalation;

    3. The scope of an officer's duty and obligation to intervene in order to prevent excessive force by another officer;

    4. When and how an officer should provide medical care.

    5. Officers identifying themselves as law enforcement and giving verbal warning of their intent to use deadly force;

    6. Shooting at or from a moving vehicle;

Additionally, law enforcement agencies are encouraged to implement early intervention systems to promote officer wellness and to identify officers who may be at risk of violating use-of-force policies, policies and procedures to help them recruit and promote the best and brightest, and community engagement plans to address each community's specific needs.

This further illustrates the value in the LBPD participation in the PLEAC Accreditation program.

Media Contact: Media@LititzPD.org