The MPAC awarded accreditation status to the department on January 20, 2021.

The Acton Police Department earned its state certification from the MPAC in September 2019, and has been working towards full accreditation since then.

"I am tremendously proud of our department and our accreditation team for rising to meet the standards outlined by the MPAC," Chief Burrows said. "Earning accreditation is a testament to the commitment our department has made to provide our community with the highest quality police service we can offer."

The accreditation process is lengthy and comprehensive. Participating departments complete an internal self-review and an external assessment by MPAC experts. The process is a voluntary evaluation by which police departments strive to meet and maintain the top standards of law enforcement. It is considered the best measure for a police department to compare itself against the established best practices around the country and region.

The department was assessed in October over a three-day period by a team of commission-appointed assessors. The Assessment Team found the department to be in compliance with all applicable standards for re-accreditation.

The MPAC program requires that departments meet all 257 of their mandatory standards and 60 percent of the 125 optional requirements. These carefully selected measures include: Jurisdiction and Mutual Aid, Collection and Preservation of Evidence, Communications, Working Conditions, Crime Analysis, Community Involvement, Financial Management, Internal Affairs, Juvenile Operations, Patrol Administration, Public Information, Records, Training, Traffic, Drug Enforcement and Victim/Witness Assistance.

Accreditation must be renewed every three years, during which the department will again conduct an internal self-review, review areas for potential growth, consider changes and various improvements and will be visited for an in-person assessment by the MPAC.