CODE OF ETHICS
The Code of Ethics governs relationships, professional conduct and practices among Commissioners, assessors, candidate agencies, and the public.
Members and representatives of the Accreditation Commission will serve with appropriate concern for the integrity of the accreditation process and with no purpose of personal gain.
Relationships between members or representatives of the Commission and the assessed agency will be of such character as to promote mutual respect within the police profession and toward the goal of improving the quality of police services.
No member or representative of the Commission will act in an official capacity in any matter in which personal interest could impair objectivity.
No member or representative of the Commission will use his/her position to promote any partisan political purposes.
No member or representative of the Commission will accept any gift or favor of a nature to imply an obligation that is inconsistent with the free and objective exercise of their professional responsibilities. At the conclusion of the onsite assessment, assessors may accept a gift from the agency that is intended to serve as a remembrance of the assessment. The gift item shall be small in value and may only be presented on the last day of the assessment after the exit meeting. Both the assessors and the agency will report all items in the required manner without reservation to the Commission.
Members and representatives of the Commission will report without reservation any corrupt or unethical behavior, which could affect the integrity of the accreditation process.
Members and representatives of the Commission will maintain the integrity of private information and will neither seek personal data beyond that needed to perform official responsibilities, nor reveal information to anyone.
Assessors agree to serve as representatives of the Commission and understand that their relationship with the assessed agency must remain professional and non-adversarial.
Assessors will be diligent in their responsibility to thoroughly review an agency’s compliance documentation and accurately report their findings to the Commission.
Assessors will ensure that statements in the Final Report critical of the assessed agency will be made only as they are verifiable and constructive in purpose.
Assessors have access to information and records not normally available to individuals outside the agency, so inherent in the position of an assessor, is the expectation that access to this information will only be used to further the process of accreditation.
Assessors agree that both during and after the assessment, not to divulge to any person, firm or entity or in any way use for personal benefit, or that of another, any information obtained about the assessed agency during the course of their duties as an assessor. Assessors acknowledge that all information concerning the Commission and the agency to be certified or accredited is strictly confidential and not subject to any disclosure, expressed or implied.
Conflicts of interest, especially those that are obvious or personal, will be avoided. Conflicts refer to those circumstances or relationships that might affect an assessor’s objectivity, or the appearance of objectivity, if selected for the assessment.
Consistent with this Code of Ethics, the following process will be followed for problem-resolution.
• There shall be no contact between the assessor and his/her superior officers regarding the assessment prior to, during or after the assessment. While assessors are conducting the onsite assessment, they are serving as representatives of the Commission and not their agency. Therefore, if the candidate agency has an issue with a particular assessor, it shall communicate those issues to the Commission and not to any of the superior officers of the assessor in the police department where the assessor is employed.
• The Assessors, the Accreditation Manager and the Chief Executive Officer are encouraged to contact the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police at any time during the onsite assessment for advice and conflict resolution.
• Agencies may appeal any unfavorable decisions and recommendations made by the Commission to the OACP Executive Board. The OACP Executive Board shall review all appeals and forward its findings and recommendations to the Commission and candidate agency. Decisions of the OACP Executive Board are final.
• Site visitors (assessors and apprentice assessors) must remember they are official and primarily representatives the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police. Secondarily they are representatives of their respective agencies.
• Site visitors shall dress in business or casual business dress as determined appropriate by the Commission and the candidate agency. Jeans, shorts, t-shirts, athletic type shoes are not appropriate.
• Alcohol consumption is discouraged while site visitors are in any public place. Site visitors shall not report for duty with the odor of alcohol about their person or while impaired by alcohol or other substance.
The Code of Ethics governs relationships, professional conduct and practices among Commissioners, assessors, candidate agencies, and the public.
Members and representatives of the Accreditation Commission will serve with appropriate concern for the integrity of the accreditation process and with no purpose of personal gain.
Relationships between members or representatives of the Commission and the assessed agency will be of such character as to promote mutual respect within the police profession and toward the goal of improving the quality of police services.
No member or representative of the Commission will act in an official capacity in any matter in which personal interest could impair objectivity.
No member or representative of the Commission will use his/her position to promote any partisan political purposes.
No member or representative of the Commission will accept any gift or favor of a nature to imply an obligation that is inconsistent with the free and objective exercise of their professional responsibilities. At the conclusion of the onsite assessment, assessors may accept a gift from the agency that is intended to serve as a remembrance of the assessment. The gift item shall be small in value and may only be presented on the last day of the assessment after the exit meeting. Both the assessors and the agency will report all items in the required manner without reservation to the Commission.
Members and representatives of the Commission will report without reservation any corrupt or unethical behavior, which could affect the integrity of the accreditation process.
Members and representatives of the Commission will maintain the integrity of private information and will neither seek personal data beyond that needed to perform official responsibilities, nor reveal information to anyone.
Assessors agree to serve as representatives of the Commission and understand that their relationship with the assessed agency must remain professional and non-adversarial.
Assessors will be diligent in their responsibility to thoroughly review an agency’s compliance documentation and accurately report their findings to the Commission.
Assessors will ensure that statements in the Final Report critical of the assessed agency will be made only as they are verifiable and constructive in purpose.
Assessors have access to information and records not normally available to individuals outside the agency, so inherent in the position of an assessor, is the expectation that access to this information will only be used to further the process of accreditation.
Assessors agree that both during and after the assessment, not to divulge to any person, firm or entity or in any way use for personal benefit, or that of another, any information obtained about the assessed agency during the course of their duties as an assessor. Assessors acknowledge that all information concerning the Commission and the agency to be certified or accredited is strictly confidential and not subject to any disclosure, expressed or implied.
Conflicts of interest, especially those that are obvious or personal, will be avoided. Conflicts refer to those circumstances or relationships that might affect an assessor’s objectivity, or the appearance of objectivity, if selected for the assessment.
Consistent with this Code of Ethics, the following process will be followed for problem-resolution.
• There shall be no contact between the assessor and his/her superior officers regarding the assessment prior to, during or after the assessment. While assessors are conducting the onsite assessment, they are serving as representatives of the Commission and not their agency. Therefore, if the candidate agency has an issue with a particular assessor, it shall communicate those issues to the Commission and not to any of the superior officers of the assessor in the police department where the assessor is employed.
• The Assessors, the Accreditation Manager and the Chief Executive Officer are encouraged to contact the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police at any time during the onsite assessment for advice and conflict resolution.
• Agencies may appeal any unfavorable decisions and recommendations made by the Commission to the OACP Executive Board. The OACP Executive Board shall review all appeals and forward its findings and recommendations to the Commission and candidate agency. Decisions of the OACP Executive Board are final.
• Site visitors (assessors and apprentice assessors) must remember they are official and primarily representatives the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police. Secondarily they are representatives of their respective agencies.
• Site visitors shall dress in business or casual business dress as determined appropriate by the Commission and the candidate agency. Jeans, shorts, t-shirts, athletic type shoes are not appropriate.
• Alcohol consumption is discouraged while site visitors are in any public place. Site visitors shall not report for duty with the odor of alcohol about their person or while impaired by alcohol or other substance.
This site serves Oklahoma law enforcement agencies interested in pursuing accredited or certified status through the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Agency Accreditation and Professional Standards Program. The program is governed by the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police.
