The Law Enforcement Accreditation Program was the first credentialing program established by CALEA after its founding. It was originally developed to address what was seen as a need to enhance law enforcement as a profession and to improve law enforcement. That mission continues today. The program is open to all types of law enforcement agencies, on an international basis. It provides a process to systematically conduct an internal review and assessment of the agencies’ policies and procedures, and make adjustments wherever necessary to meet a body of internationally accepted standards.
Since the first CALEA Accreditation Award was granted in 1984, the program has become the primary method for an agency to voluntarily demonstrate their commitment to excellence in law enforcement. The standards upon which the Law Enforcement Accreditation Program is based reflect the current thinking and experience of law enforcement practitioners and researchers. Major law enforcement associations, leading educational and training institutions, governmental agencies, as well as law enforcement executives internationally, acknowledge CALEA’s Standards for Law Enforcement Agencies© and its Accreditation Program as benchmarks for today’s law enforcement agency.
The S. C. Law Enforcement Division was initially accredited by CALEA on March 26, 1994. SLED was Reaccredited in 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2008. In 2005 and 2008, SLED was recognized as a CALEA Flagship Agency acknowledging the achievement and expertise of a successful CALEA Accredited Agency. In 2010, the administration at that time discontinued the accreditation process.
The S. C. Law Enforcement Division Forensic Services Laboratory is currently accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board, ANAB, and meets the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2017. The laboratory’s current disciplines of accreditation include Biology (DNA), Document Examination (Questioned Documents), Firearms and Toolmarks, Fire Debris and Explosives (Trace), Friction Ridge (Latent Prints), Impressions (Footwear/Tire tread), Materials (Trace), Scene Investigation (Crime Scene), Seized Drugs (Drug Analysis), Toxicology and Digital & Video/Imaging Technology and Analysis (Computer Crimes).
ANAB is the longest established provider of accreditation based on ISO standards for forensic agencies in the United States. ANAB is a non-governmental organization that provides accreditation services to public- and private-sector organizations. The ANAB Forensic Testing Program is a program of accreditation in which any crime laboratory providing covered services may participate to demonstrate that its technical operations and overall management system meet ISO/IEC 17025:2017 requirements and ANAB Forensic Testing Program requirements.
Accreditation provides a means for the formal recognition, by an independent third party, that the laboratory is in full compliance with the appropriate standards. Through the application of international standards and independent review by ANAB, customers can have confidence in the laboratory’s work product. Each accreditation cycle includes the initial on-site assessment for accreditation followed by regular surveillance activities to assess continued compliance with accreditation requirements.
The S. C. Law Enforcement Division Forensic Services Laboratory was initially accredited by ASCLD/LAB (American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board) on September 26, 1994, under the Legacy program. Legacy program reaccreditation was granted in 1999, 2004, and 2009. As ASCLD/LAB transitioned to the ISO/IEC 17025 based program, the laboratory underwent assessment and obtained ASCLD/LAB-International Accreditation on September 19, 2014. In 2016, ANAB announced the merger of its forensics operations with those of ASCLD/LAB.
South Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation (SCLEA) is the official South Carolina state accrediting body and is responsible for administrative tasks associated with accreditation.
Since 1999 SCLEA has been recognized as a means of maintaining the highest standards of law enforcement accreditation.
The SCLEA Accreditation Program is a voluntary initiative for professional improvement, fashioned in ways that best meet local needs while simultaneously expressing commitment to professional law enforcement practices.
Standards for the program are developed from multiple sources, including South Carolina State Law, stakeholder expertise and best business practices. The standards are designed to be attainable for all South Carolina agencies, regardless of size. All SCLEA standards are mandatory and have specific requirements the agency must address, the actual way the standards are met is determined by the agency CEO.
The program is managed and directed by the governing council of South Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc., a non-profit corporation. Council members meet quarterly to oversee the accreditation process and to officially accredit agencies that have proven their adherence to the program’s meticulous review process.
