Representatives of Essex Police stand with members of the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission as they accept a plaque denoting the department’s re-accreditation. From left are Hamilton Police Chief and MPAC President Russell Stevens, Sgt. Ryan Davis, Sgt. Daniel Bruce, Chief Paul Francis, Sgt. Thomas Shamshak, and Bridgewater Police Chief and MPAC Vice President Christopher Delmonte. (Photo Courtesy Essex Police Department). 

ESSEX — Chief Paul Francis is pleased to report that the Essex Police Department earned re-accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC).

Members of the Department were presented a re-accreditation award on Feb. 12 at the Marlborough Country Club.

The Essex Police Department has been an accredited department since 2019. Accredited police departments are required to undergo assessment for re-accreditation every three years, meaning the department will remain accredited until 2028.

Administrative Sgt. Daniel Bruce is the Department’s Accreditation Manager, ensuring that Essex Police is meeting all necessary standards.

Accreditation is a self-initiated, lengthy, and comprehensive evaluation process. Participating departments complete an internal self-review and an external assessment by MPAC experts. The process is a voluntary evaluation by which police departments strive to meet and maintain the top standards of law enforcement. It is considered the best measure for a police department to compare itself against the established best practices around the country and region.

Achieving accreditation status means that the Department met all 257 of The Massachusetts Police Accreditation Program’s mandatory standards and 55 percent of the 125 optional standards.

The standards reflect critical areas of police management, operations and technical support activities, including emergency response planning, communications, property and evidence handling, policy development, training and more.

“It is an honor to receive re-accreditation. Achieving accreditation is a testament to the professional, dedicated work each member of our department does to hold themselves and each other to the highest standards,” said Chief Francis. “I would like to thank Sgt. Bruce for ensuring the department maintains accreditation status.”