Page 73 - Middleborough 2024 Town Report

M I D D L E B O R O U G H
POLICE DEPARTMENT
ACCREDITATION
The Middleborough Police Department went through
its first Re-Accreditation two-day on-site review in
September 2024. The Chief was notified in early
December that the Department was approved and
granted Accreditation once again through the
Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission
(MPAC). This award will be received in early 2025.
The Sixth Edition is comprised of 274 Mandatory Standard
and 66 Optional Standards. The evaluation includes
reviewing management, operations, technical support
activities, policies, emergency response planning,
training, communications, facilities, equipment, evidence
handling, use of force, vehicular pursuit policies, prisoner
transportation and holding facilities among other topics.
The Middleborough Police Department will be next
reviewed for its second Re-Accreditation in the fall of
2027.
The Accreditation process is aimed at providing
accountability among agency personnel and ensuring
policies are applied even handedly; providing a
statewide norm against which agencies can judge their
performance; providing a basis to correct deficiencies
before they become public problems; providing
independent evaluation of agency operations;
enhancing the reputation of an agency, increasing
public confidence; and minimizing insurance costs and
agency liability.
ELDERLY AFFAIRS
Elder Afairs Oficer Steve Valerio continues to support
and assist the senior community by addressing questions
and concerns and connecting them with essential
resources. Oficer Valerio maintains strong working
relationships with the Health Department, Fire
Department, Council on Aging, Housing Authority, Old
Colony Elder Services, and the Plymouth County Sherif’s
Department to ensure senior have access to the best
services available. Oficer Valerio contributes to several
local newsletters, reaching out to seniors with safety tips
and updates on common scams targeting them.
Ater achieving Accreditation status, it is now
integrated into the everyday operations on the
Department and is maintained daily. MPAC recently
updated their standards in 2022 to an edition that is
more relective of Massachusetts police standards and,
as such, the police department must remain in
compliance with all changes and additions to be
prepared for the next assessment.
In 2024, Oficer Valerio attended a resource fair with the
Council on Aging to provide seniors with additional
resources and services. He also continued his outreach
eforts, collaborating with the Fire Department and
Veteran’s Agent to host Senior Outreach Meetings at
locations such as Riverview Apartments, Nemasket
Apartments, Council on Aging, Edgeway Mobile Home
Park, Hill Crest Mobile Home Park, and Oak Point. These
meetings provided seniors with valuable information
about services like Project Life Saver, the Safety Assurance
Program and Code Red.
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