The Bowdoin College Office of Safety and Security announced that it achieved accreditation from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA).

The Office of Safety and Security at the Maine college demonstrated to outside impartial experts its compliance with national standards that denote current best practices in the security and public safety profession. Currently fewer than 100 agencies have earned this distinctive recognition.

To earn this accreditation, the Office of Safety and Security had to demonstrate compliance with more than 200 core professional standards in operations, training administration, and human resources.

Office of Safety and Security Executive Director Randy Nichols says accreditation provides greater accountability and competency in daily operations. Members know what the policies and procedures are, how to perform them, and that they are accountable to them.

“I’m grateful to all the members of our safety and security team for their work during the multiyear process it took to achieve this,” Nichols said. “Once you attain this level of accreditation, the work then becomes keeping it up, and our team is committed to maintaining this standard of excellence.”

The Office of Safety and Security prepared for accreditation by conducting an on-site mock assessment in November 2019, and due to the pandemic, the final assessment in 2020 was done completely virtually, a first for IACLEA. The agency will seek reaccreditation in four years.