(DeLand, FL) – The DeLand Police Department has been reaccredited through 2023 by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) following a lengthy process that was put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

DeLand Police Chief Jason Umberger commended staff led by Accreditation Manager Rachel Rioz for working tirelessly despite the process being delayed by several months.

“We have much to be proud of as an agency,” Chief Umberger said. “Our entire department is committed to excellence and it shows both in how we operate within the walls of our department but also within the community.”

One program highlighted during the review and praised by assessors is the DeLand PD’s Conversations with Police program, which helps strengthen relationships and spark dialogue between law enforcement and teens to improve social outcomes. Participants in the program are able to ask law enforcement questions and police personnel can share information on how specific problems are being addressed in the community.

During the assessment process, the assessors reviewed volumes of files, took a virtual tour of the DeLand Police headquarters and conducted interviews with employees. In order to be reaccredited, DeLand Police had to be in compliance with more than 250 standards deemed to be best practices for law enforcement.

The DeLand Police Department has been accredited with CFA since 2004 and has maintained its accreditation since then.

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