SWAMPSCOTT — The Police Department will be working throughout the next 10 months to meet the nearly 400 standards set by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.
Police agencies that participate in the voluntary program are typically assessed every three years. Last accredited in 2021, the department was due for a reassessment in January. However, it was granted an extension by the MPAC until April 2025. Police Chief Ruben Quesada attributed an ongoing change in software to PowerDMS as the main reason why more time was needed. The new software will then be used to document “proofs of compliance” by the department to demonstrate to the MPAC.
“It literally takes about six months of at least one person full-time ensuring that our standards are up to par,” Quesada said. “Not only do we say that we’re following national standards, but then we also have to provide examples.”
According to MPAC Executive Director Rick Rathbun, his commission tends to be adverse to granting extensions beyond eight months. However, he gave credit to Quesada and his department for not seeking an indefinite period of self-assessment.
“Rather than having us show up knowing that they needed to do more work, they set this timeline and we have a date to return in April,” Rathbun said.
The commission released its sixth edition of standards in 2021, which added 18 new policies related to police reform.
Quesada acknowledged that not passing next year’s assessment would be a major deficiency on the part of the department, however, he is proud of the effort it has put in so far to achieve compliance.
“The Swampscott Police continues to be a recognized accredited law-enforcement agency in the Commonwealth,” Quesada said. “I am excited for the future of our department and looking forward to our next MPAC assessment in 2025. To me, this is more about not only saying what we do, but we mean what we say in terms of our defining ideologies and progress.”
