The accreditation was presented to the township police department by representatives from the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police (MACP) during the regular meeting of the township board of trustees.
“This was an incredibly proud moment for the men and women of our department following a years-long process,” noted Public Safety Director and Chief of Police Eric Luke.
The MACP delegation, including Executive Director Chief Robert Stevenson (Ret.), Deputy Director Chief Ronald L. Wiles, Jr. (Ret.), President Chief Bryan Ergang (Kalamazoo Township Police), and Accreditation Program Director D/Lt. Matt Silverthorn (Ret.) spoke at length about the initial accreditation process and the ongoing work and dedication that departments must undertake to achieve reaccreditation every three years. The officials recognized the Sumpter Township department as one of only 90 police departments in the state to have received accreditation through the MLEAC, before Ergang
presented the framed accreditation certificate to Luke.
Achieving accreditation status is a significant professional milestone, police offiicals said. It acknowledges a departmental implementation of policies and procedures that reflect best practices in law enforcement. “This process has also allowed us to better serve our community, reduce risk and liability for our officers and the department, and strengthen our trust and reputation,” Luke said.
“The MLEAC accreditation program promotes continuous improvement, accountability, and transparency within the law enforcement profession. Our department is committed to upholding these standards as we now begin the process of reaccreditation in three years.
“We are immensely proud of our department and want to recognize Accreditation Manager Lt. Brian Seffani and Assistant Accreditation Manager Capt. Patrick Gannon for their dedication and outstanding work toward this achievement,” Luke said during the presentation.
