On Wednesday, March 2, 2022, the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (PLEAC) voted to approve the Ephrata Police Department (EPD) for state accreditation. There are only 144 agencies in PA who have earned accreditation. Only roughly 13% of PA police agencies have earned this honor.

Accreditation is a bold process where the policies and operations of a law enforcement agency are examined and compared to nationally recognized requirements as best practices for policing. Therefore, an agency is held accountable for its actions. EPD was assessed in November of 2021.

Said Police Chief John E. Petrick, “With this designation, we demonstrate to our constituency that we meet or exceed the standards of professional policing. It is another pane in the window of transparency that tends to build trust and confidence between the agency and the community we serve. I’m very proud of the officers and staff here in Ephrata, and our citizens can be proud as well.”

Accreditation is an ongoing process and the EPD will be undergo reassessment every three (3) years.