Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the latest law enforcement agencies to earn accreditation through the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program, established in 2024 to recognize agencies that voluntarily meet or exceed nearly three dozen state standards for professional excellence.

Cleveland State University was among 14 agencies selected for the distinction.

“We’re incredibly proud,” said CSU Police Chief Beverly Pettrey. “This accreditation confirms that we meet Ohio’s professional standards in key areas such as use of force, hiring practices, community engagement, bias-free policing and crisis intervention. The process is similar to CALEA, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, in that it requires a thorough review of policies, training and accountability measures to ensure agencies are meeting established best practices.”

Pettrey said although CSU has been accredited by CALEA for 12 years, earning the Ohio Collaborative accreditation further demonstrates its ongoing commitment to transparency, professionalism and continuous improvement in serving the CSU community.

To obtain accreditation, agencies must meet comprehensive standards that review policies, procedures, training, operations and overall best practices in law enforcement. Pettrey said CSU police have invested significant time and effort to ensure their policies align with state standards and to continue improving in areas such as training, documentation, transparency and community engagement. 

The process requires a detailed review of policies and procedures, documentation of compliance and an on-site assessment by outside evaluators. After successfully demonstrating compliance with all required standards, the agency is formally awarded accredited status. Key areas assessed include use of force, hiring practices, community engagement, bias-free policing and crisis intervention.

The overarching theme is simple: keeping the campus safe.

“We pride ourselves on being visible, accessible, and community-focused [along with]  building strong relationships with students, faculty, and staff is a top priority,” said Pettrey. “We emphasize proactive patrol, quick response times, safety education, threat assessment, and programs like our Viking Safety Escort service and the RAVE Guardian app. Most importantly, we work to create an environment where people feel comfortable reaching out to us with concerns before they escalate.”

Pettrey said earning the accreditation requires the work of the entire department and reflects the dedication of officers, dispatchers and staff committed to keeping the campus safe each day.

“We are proud of the accomplishment, but we remain focused on continuously improving and serving the CSU community at the highest level,” she said.

She added:

“I’d also like to give special recognition to our accreditation manager, Capt. Scott Secor, and our records, retention and systems coordinator, Daman Vance,” she said. “They worked diligently behind the scenes with the state throughout this process. It required extensive coordination and detailed documentation to demonstrate compliance with the state’s standards, and their efforts were instrumental in achieving this accreditation.”