Mississippi State University will welcome a team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc on Feb. 13.
A team leader and a team member, selected by CALEA will assess whether or not the MSU campus Police Department is up to standards in policy and procedures, administration, operations and support services. 
MSU Police Department Chief Vance Rice, said there are 189 standards for the level that they are being accredited for.
“They will look at those 189 standards and they will ensure that one, we have policies that meet and address every one of those standards,” Rice said. “Number two, they will be assessing and looking to see that we are following and doing what the policies say, and can we prove we are doing those 189 policies.”
 
This can be anywhere from assuring that the police department is being financially responsible with money to checking if an officer ensures that every person is handcuffed and searched before put in a patrol vehicle. 
Rice said  after this on-site, the 189 standards will change to be around 400.
Previously, CALEA came and did the assessments every three years. This has now changed to every four years, starting this year going forward. 
CALEA will change the way the assessment is done and instead of paper files being required, everything will be electronic. By being computerized, this gives the assessors easier access to online files which they can spot-check at any time. The list of standards CALEA will assess will be made available by the campus police department. 
The number of assessors will also be cut back with the four-year change. Instead of CALEA sending three assessors, only one will be sent at the four-year mark to check the remaining files.
MSU campus Police Department has already purchased the software needed for the new change and has started to install it. The software was initially not required until the next assessment, but campus PD are ahead in that regard.
To help with the assessment, CALEA is offering a public information session. This allows the public to give their comments or their concerns to the assessors. 
The session is a chance to see if the community believes that the campus PD is meeting the standards set by CALEA. The public information session will take place at 6 p.m. Feb. 14 in Fowlkes Auditorium in the Colvard Student Union. MSU Police Department Accreditation Manager Kenneth Rogers said, if for some reason, an individual cannot speak at the public information session, then they may give comments by telephone.
“There is also an opportunity for people to call in if they can’t make it to the public information session. You can call in on Feb. 14 at 662-325-5503 from 1:30 p.m., to 3:30 p.m.” Rogers said.
CALEA is looking for comments addressing the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA’s standards. Telephone comments and appearances at the public information session are limited to a 10-minute time slot.
Comments, once written down by the assessors, will be forwarded to the commission.