CALEA - From Accreditation to Outcomes

New PATF-HoCo Paper Calls for Linking Police Accreditation to Measurable Community Outcomes

Following HCPD’s 2026 CALEA reaccreditation, the organization urges independent analysis of persistent racial and ethnic disparities

COLUMBIA, MD., Aug. 26, 2026 — The Police Accountability Task Force of Howard County (PATF-HoCo) today announced a new policy paper urging the Howard County Police Department (HCPD), CALEA and county leaders to build on HCPD’s 2026 reaccreditation by measuring whether accredited policies and training produce safe, fair and improving outcomes in community encounters.

PATF-HoCo commends HCPD for the sustained work behind its Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation with Excellence. HCPD reported meeting or exceeding more than 400 CALEA standards and remaining accredited since 1990—an important record of commitment to professional policies and training.

The paper, “From Accreditation to Outcomes: Strengthening the Connection Between Professional Standards and Equitable Policing in Howard County,” argues that accreditation is a strong foundation, but not a substitute for evaluating results. PATF-HoCo’s multi-year analysis found persistent racial and ethnic disparities in arrests, juvenile referrals, traffic stops and use of force. In 2025, Black people accounted for 52.6% of adult arrests and 62.8% of reported use-of-force incidents, while representing about 20% of the county population; Hispanic people accounted for 16.5% of adult arrests, compared with about 8% of the population.

“Strong policies and training are essential, but their public value is realized only when they produce safe, fair and trusted community interactions,” PATF-HoCo said. “When significant racial and ethnic disparities persist across multiple measures and years, the responsible next step is independent analysis—not assumption or delay.”

PATF-HoCo recommends that HCPD and county leaders:

Commission an independent third-party review by experts in policing policy, training, data and equitable outcomes;
Include HCPD, community members, the Police Accountability Board and county leadership; and
Publish the findings, recommendations and HCPD response, with standardized engagement data released annually to measure progress.

READ THE MATERIALS

Full PATF-HoCo CALEA Policy Paper: LINK

Howard County Government’s 2026 CALEA announcement: LINK

Supporting Data Presentation: LINK