The Police Department received accreditation in 2013 under the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police’ (TACP) Tennessee Law Enforcement Accreditation program.  The voluntary program includes over 160 professional standards which the agency must demonstrate that they meet.  The department was recognized at the December TACP meeting with the award and was formally presented the award at the January 2014 City Council meeting.  The department is committed to maintaining TLEA accreditation and will be re-evaluated every three years by the TACP, and received its 3rd award in December of 2020.

Of the approximately 600 law enforcement agencies in TN who are eligible to apply for the program, WPD is the 26^th to be accredited and is the smallest police department in the state to receive accreditation.

Chief Grant Gillespie is the department’s Accreditation Manager and also serves on the TACP’s Professional Standards Committee which oversees the program.

Accredited agencies receive a discount on liability insurance from the TML insurance carrier.  The process of accreditation ensures that the department continually evaluates its operation to ensure compliance with accepted professional standards.  The department can use the TLEA logo as a symbol of its accredited status.  More information about the program can be found on the TACP website at www.tacp.org/Accreditation.