Message from Cocoa Beach Police Chief

Cocoa Beach Police Dept. Prepares for Re-Accreditation

June 8, 2021

A team of assessors from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) will begin to examine all aspects of the Cocoa Beach Police Department’s policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services. The agency must comply with approximately 250 standards in order to receive its re-accreditation. Many of these standards are critical to life, health and safety issues.

The on-site assessment is scheduled for July 20-22, 2021. As part of the assessment, agency members and the general public are invited to offer comments to the assessment team. A copy of the standards manual is available by visiting the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation website (https://public.powerdms.com/COFLEA/documents/2285789).

Once the CFA assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then determine if the agency is to receive re-accreditation status. If the agency is re-accredited, it will be valid for another three years.

An accreditation program has long been recognized as a means of maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, and is utilized as a management tool for criminal justice agencies. Accreditation provides a blueprint for building and sustaining an agency committed to providing value-based services through accountability and transparency to the community it serves. The Cocoa Beach Police Department is one of approximately 200 agencies in the state to maintain its accreditation status. Currently, the department is in compliance with more than 250 professional standards set by the Commission to govern all aspects of professional law enforcement including everything from handling property and evidence to internal affairs, training and recruitment, use of force, special operations and other critical areas.

For more information regarding CFA or for anyone who would like to offer written comments about the Cocoa Beach Police Department’s ability to meet the standards of accreditation, please write: CFA, P.O. Box 1489, Tallahassee, Florida 32302, or email to flaccreditation@fdle.state.fl.us.