The Swampscott Police Department has received full accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC), joining 122 fully accredited police agencies across the Commonwealth. Massachusetts has 351 cities and towns.

The award, presented on October 29 during a ceremony in Marlborough, “represents the highest standards of achievement in attaining the best practices, policies, and procedures within our profession,” according to a post by the department.

“The men and women of our department are proud to set the highest bar of professionalism,” the Swampscott Police Department posted. “We will continue to proudly represent our supportive town administration and most importantly our incredible residents in the community.”

According to MPAC, accreditation is a voluntary process through which police agencies demonstrate a high level of professionalism by meeting 216 standards, 96 of which are mandatory and 120 are optional. Mandatory standards focus on high-liability and risk management issues, promoting operational efficiency and public safety, while optional standards serve as enhancements.

“Certification is considered a significant milestone toward accreditation, the Commission’s highest award,” the MPAC writes. 

Swampscott’s accreditation team included Capt. Joe Kable and Sgts. Matt MacDonald, Steven Luck and Brendan Reen.