RALEIGH -- North Carolina’s Alcohol Law Enforcement Division (ALE) became the first law enforcement agency in the world with the core mission of enforcing laws and statutes related to the sale, distribution, and consumption of alcoholic beverages to achieve accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

The accreditation certificate was presented to Michael D. Robertson, director of ALE, at a ceremony Nov. 7th at the N.C. Museum of History. The declaration was made during the CALEA national conference in Boston, Massachusetts in July.

“I am very proud of the men and women of the Alcohol Law Enforcement Division and of this award,” Director Robertson said. “The CALEA process proves the very high standards of professionalism within the agency.”

CALEA evaluates law enforcement agencies based on 447 standards including all policies and procedures, organization and management, law enforcement operations, personnel, administration, and support services.

ALE is a division of the N.C. of the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety (CCPS). The Division’s 104 agents enforce the state's alcohol, tobacco, bingo and gambling laws in more than 17,000 outlets licensed to sell alcohol. Each Agent’s primary focus is stopping the illegal sale and consumption of alcohol by minors. Information on ALE programs is available on the Internet at www.ncale.org.

“I congratulate Director Robertson and ALE on their accreditation success,” said CCPS Secretary Bryan Beatty. “Being the first alcohol enforcement agency to achieve this honor is evidence of ALE’s dedication to their mission of public safety, especially as it concerns the health and safety of young people.”

In their final reports, the CALEA assessment team stated: “The agency is the first of its kind to apply for accreditation which renders it unique in its mission. The agency should be commended for its determination. Assessors were impressed with the overall operation, the pride and high morale exhibited by its employees, both sworn and non-sworn.”

The accreditation process is an arduous task, requiring a compete review of all aspects of a law enforcement agency’s operations. The North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Division applied for accreditation in August 2003 and received national accreditation in less than two years. A self-assessment phase was conducted initially which compared management, organization, procedures, and other operations with the 334 applicable national standards established by CALEA.

An on-site assessment was conducted in April 2005 by a team composed of law enforcement practitioners from other states. The assessors reviewed written materials, interviewed individuals both inside and outside the agency, and visited Alcohol Law Enforcement Division facilities across the state. The initial accreditation is for a period of three years, during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting to continual compliance with the standards under which they were accredited.

CALEA has been in existence for over 25 years and was established by the nation’s four leading law enforcement executive organizations: the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriff’s Association, and the Police Executive Research Forum. The CALEA website is www.calea.org. There are 34 local and state law enforcement agencies in North Carolina who currently hold the nationally accredited status.