The ISU Department of Public Safety is hoping to continue its position as a leader in public safety for universities across the world.

The department was recently recommended for reaccreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies in Fairfax, Va., and is the only university with such status in the state, said Jerry Stewart, associate director of public safety.

The organization’s accreditation team visited the ISU campus in December to evaluate whether the department complied with the organization’s standards, said Loras Jaeger, director of public safety.

He said the reaccreditation will not be final until this spring.

The department was accredited for the first time in 1998. The reaccreditation process takes place every three years, Jaeger said.

The recommendation pro-cess consisted of a variety of steps including a self-assessment and an examination by the commission.

The commission members reviewed written policies, inspected equipment and facilities, interviewed employees and officials and held a public information meeting.

Jaeger said the assessment went very well except for the public meeting, which did not have a large attendance because of a snow storm.

Reaccreditation is important to DPS because it shows the quality of work the department is doing, Jaeger said.

If the department receives reaccreditation, Stewart said it will be one in 27 universities nationwide and one in 480 public safety departments worldwide.

“It demonstrates that in the past three years we have continued to comply with some 400 standards set by the commission,” Jaeger said.

Stewart said the ISU community will benefit a great deal because of the department’s accredited status.

“The university community is assured that the department is committed to professional excellence,” he said.

Jaeger said accreditation helps DPS as well.

“It certainly puts the department in better shape,” he said. “It really helps when we go out and try to receive grants.”

As for major changes, Stewart said DPS is not planing anything for now, just “ensuring continued compliance with all applicable standards.”

He said making some changes is not out of the question either.

“From time to time, accreditation standards modify or are added,” Stewart said. “We will therefore need to monitor commission activity.”