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One of the greatest pleasures of working as your Mayor is being a part of the process as the Town of Bluffton steps out on its own, setting new standards for itself and our community. One of the finest recent moments for the Town came in March when the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) accredited the Bluffton Police Department. This means Bluffton’s finest are considered one of the 1,000 accredited agencies in a nation, a highly impressive standing considering there are 17,000 police agencies in the United States and only a small fraction of them have passed strenuous standards to be a part of this elite group.
What’s more impressive is the night-and-day difference between what Chief David McAllister inherited and what he created in a matter of two years. For years, Bluffton was considered a speed trap, a reputation that was garnered by the media and water cooler conversation. On a more serious note, clouds of liability hung over the Town and the police department due to inadequate training, evidence handling and so forth.
But that was then. This is now.
CALEA’s distinction sets a sturdy cornerstone for everything else the Town of Bluffton does. With public safety hitting high marks, our residents feel safe, new residents want to move here and guests come to visit. All other work for the town is an offshoot from the fact that people feel safe here and want to be here.
With CALEA’s accreditation, police standards for policies, procedures, public awareness and preparedness are kept to the highest standards. CALEA’s assessors look over Bluffton’s shoulder to assure standards are kept. Knowing that a third party is keeping tabs on your Town should make you feel safe. This also could translate to potential cost savings for you and the Town. Having the accreditation seal mitigates liabilities and potential lawsuits. Most lawsuits against municipalities are due to a lack of police training and/or supervision. With the highest standards in play, there’s little wiggle room for inappropriate police work. Together with Chief McAllister and the Town Council, we are building on this success.
Using the accreditation as its firm foundation, we are partnering with you to have a community that works together with neighborhood programs so we always have a dialogue between the public and those who serve you. In other exciting news, the Town of Bluffton has applied for $1.52 million in federal stimulus funds. The police department leads the charge with the most grants received from that money. If the money is awarded, the foremost project is crime-mapping software. These programs will enable our officers to better target problem areas and even predict crime trends.
This is an exciting time to be a part of Bluffton as a resident and as your mayor. What once was considered a little town is now setting standards on a nationwide scale. Come to Bluffton for a day, a decade or a lifetime; we have a lot to offer.
