The Village of Pewaukee’s Police Department was recently acknowledged by the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group (WILEAG) for attaining their status of reaccreditation. WILEAG is a state based organization that offers accreditation status for law enforcement agencies that comply to a series of standards. The process is entirely voluntary yet serves as a tool to strengthen and assess enforcement operations. The four key areas that WILEAG studies include policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services.
The Pewaukee Police Department shared that they “Underwent a comprehensive three day assessment, ensuring compliance with best practices in law enforcement and proving our commitment to professionalism, accountability, and high policing standards”.
Upon achieving this highly respected reaccreditation, the department was awarded an honorary plaque to commemorate their hard work and dedication. Chief of Police Timothy Heier and Sergeant Michael Rowe were both present at a ceremony celebrating the achievement.
The accreditation and reaccreditation processes are both incredibly important to understanding how law enforcement operates. The WILEAG works to maintain high standards through its use of over 260 standards, which can then be separated into about 655 further segments. During the Group’s assessment of a law enforcement agency, they typically spend three days at the office investigating and assessing how well the agency meets these standards. Over the course of those three days, representatives from WILEAG will tour facilities, observe standard operations, and conduct interviews with both team members and the community. After passing the Group’s criteria for success, departments can receive accreditation. After three years, if a department wishes to be reaccredited, they can undergo the assessment again.
Accreditation provides many benefits to police departments and the communities they serve. Ensuring that high operational standards are met means that the citizens they serve will receive quality law enforcement. The process allows for both agents and residents to feel that they are being led by competent and confident professionals.
As of February 2025, only 8% of the 560 law enforcement agencies operating in Wisconsin have achieved full accreditation. This means that 45 agencies are currently fully accredited, making the Pewaukee Police Department’s success all the more inspiring. The road to accreditation is difficult and requires preparation, forethought, and copious amounts of hard work. Pewaukee’s success is truly a source of pride and great honor for the entire community.
