Concord residents have until Tuesday, Sept. 8, to weigh in on whether their police department meets professional law enforcement standards, as the department pursues voluntary state accreditation.

Chief Jimmy Hughes' department announced Aug. 9 that it will undergo an on-site assessment on Wednesday, Sept. 9, through the North Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation program, administered by the North Carolina Department of Justice. The program requires agencies to meet 116 standards covering policies and procedures, administration, support services, training, facilities management, safety and record-keeping.

Both community members and department employees are invited to submit feedback on whether the department meets those standards. An NCLEA assessment team will review all comments received before the on-site visit.

The accreditation is voluntary and free. Only a handful of North Carolina agencies have earned it since the program launched in June 2023. The Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office became the 17th agency statewide to receive the credential in March, according to a Facebook post from the office. Other 2026 recipients include the N.C. State Highway Patrol, Creedmoor Police Department and Morehead City Police Department, according to the NC Department of Justice.

If Concord earns the credential, it would join a small group of accredited agencies in a state with more than 500 law enforcement departments.

How to submit comments

Comments must arrive by Tuesday, Sept. 8. Residents can email [email protected] with "Concord Police Department" in the subject line, or mail feedback to:

North Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation (NCLEA) ATT: NCLEA Program Manager PO Drawer 149 Raleigh, NC 27602

The full list of NCLEA standards is available on the NC Department of Justice website. The on-site assessment begins Wednesday, Sept. 9.