WHEREAS, aircraft operated by law enforcement agencies play a vital role in supporting police operations, including: search and rescue; medical evacuation; prisoner transportation, etc.; and

WHEREAS, government owned aircraft are generally not regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration which has resulted in a disparity in the safety and efficiency of operations; and

WHEREAS, accreditation programs can improve the safety and delivery of services by maintaining a body of standards developed by highly experienced police aviation practitioners; and

WHEREAS, the Airborne Law Enforcement Association recognized the need to improve safety and efficiency and created the Airborne Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission; and

WHEREAS, the Aviation Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police also recognizes the need to improve the level of safety and efficiency of police aviation and has been an integral part of the process to develop the comprehensive standards and accreditation process that will ultimately recognize professional aviation excellence; and

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police has a long history of supporting law enforcement accreditation dating back to 1979 with the creation of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA); now, therefore be it

RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police duly assembled at its 115th Annual Conference in San Diego, California congratulates the Airborne Law Enforcement Association for their effort to establish an accreditation program and encourages law enforcement agencies that operate aircraft to voluntarily demonstrate that they meet the established set of professional standards.

Submitted by the Aviation Committee

AVI.018.a08