The Oak Bluffs Police Department is accredited by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.

 

The purpose of accreditation is to improve the delivery of public safety services, primarily by: complying with a body of standards, developed by public safety practitioners, covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initiatives; establishing and administering an accreditation process; and recognizing professional excellence.

Police accreditation is a process by which a police agency formally evaluates its activities and seeks an independent judgment that it substantially achieves its own objectives and is generally equal in quality to comparable agencies. The essential elements of the accreditation process are: an onsite evaluation by a selected group of peers and a decision by an independent commission that the agency is worthy of accreditation.

 

In order to be an accredited police agency, a police department must meet certain standards established by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission. These standards reflect the best professional practices in each area of police management, administration, operation and support services. The Oak Bluffs Police Department must prove compliance with 252 mandatory standards and a minimum of 80 optional standards to be eligible for accreditation.