The Law Enforcement Accreditation Program is a voluntary process where police agencies in Texas prove their compliance with 164 Texas Law Enforcement Best Practices. These Best Practices were carefully developed by Texas Law Enforcement professionals to assist agencies in the efficient and effective delivery of service, the reduction of risk, and the protection of individual’s rights. The Texas Legislature demands a great deal of professional law enforcement in Texas and the Best Practices were specifically designed to aid Texas agencies in meeting those demands and providing the best quality of service to the people of our State.

On February 8, 2010, the Lewisville Police Department became the 28th agency in Texas to achieve Accredited status with the Texas Police Chiefs Association through their Accreditation Program. Accredited status is awarded for four years and is maintained by the agency submitting both annual reports and copies of continuing proofs of compliance. In the fourth year, an agency is required to prove that they are continuing to meet the best practices. On January 24, 2014, the Lewisville Police Department completed its first re-Accreditation process.

Below are sample standards with which an Accredited agency must comply:

• 1.09 Sworn Personnel Basic License-The Agency has a written directive which requires that personnel hold a Texas Peace Officer license before performing law enforcement duties.
  
  
• 2.04 Internal Investigations-The Agency has a written directive on how to receive, investigate, and conclude complaints against employees. Sustained complaints must be based on facts determined during the investigation.
  
  
• 2.11 Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment-The Agency has a written directive that prohibits sexual or other unlawful harassment. The written directive must provide for reporting procedures that include when it is appropriate to make a report outside the chain of command or outside the Agency. The agency must provide training to all personnel.
  
  
• 2.14 Truthful-The Agency has a written directive requiring all employees to be truthful in all official verbal and written communications and reports. Employees will be truthful in any court related testimony or agency investigations.
  
  
• 3.02 Use of Deadly Force Training-The agency has a written directive on training its sworn personnel at least annually in the proper use of deadly force and the use of any firearm used in the course of law enforcement duties.
  
  
• 6.01 Authorization to Use Force-The Agency has a written directive that authorizes designated employees to use only the level of physical force that is necessary and reasonable to achieve the desired legal objective.
  
  
• 6.02 Authorization of Deadly Force-The Agency has a written directive that authorizes police officers to use deadly force when the officer reasonably believes that his/her life is in immediate danger of death or serious bodily injury or a third person is in immediate danger of death or serious bodily injury.
  
  
• 6.03 Use of Force Documentation and Review-The Agency has a written directive requiring completion of a specific administrative form for this purpose only to document the use of force by agency personnel, including a review process of each incident by supervisory personnel. The form may be electronic or paper and the format will be designated by the agency.
  
  
• 7.13 Vehicle Pursuits-The Agency has a written directive for vehicle pursuits. The written directive include:
  
  
* The criteria for initiating a pursuit.
* The method of conducting a pursuit.
* The supervision of a pursuit.
* The criteria for terminating vehicle pursuits.
* The Department also trains appropriate personnel in the pursuit policy.


• 7.14 Pursuit Documentation-The Agency has a written directive that requires a pursuit report to be completed after each pursuit. The report is forwarded through the chain of command to the Agency Director or designee. The Pursuit report will document at a minimum:

* The reasons for the pursuit.
* The personnel involved.
* The result of the pursuit.
* Any injury or damage.
* Any other significant events that occurred.