Department of Commerce
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
National Marine Fisheries Service
- Office for Law Enforcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2006

NOAA FISHERIES SERVICE’S OFFICE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT

The NOAA Fisheries Service’s Office for Law Enforcement will undergo a formal review in July to retain its accreditation with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.

Accreditation is a voluntary process for law enforcement agencies to demonstrate their compliance with national standards. The purpose of the accreditation program is to improve delivery of law enforcement services. The accreditation process will also provide Office for Law Enforcement managers with assurance that the agency is meeting its internal policies and procedures, as well as facilitate a solid review of the status and readiness of the Office.

Public comment is an integral part of the review process. If you have experience working with the Office for Law Enforcement on enforcement initiatives, or have interacted with Office personnel as a constituent, you are invited to contact Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies to provide input and feedback.

During the on-site assessment, a team from the commission will be available to accept comments via telephone at (301) 495-7132 on Monday, July 24, 2006, between 1 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST. Telephone comments are limited to ten minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation.

Written comments may be sent to:
Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.,
Attention Ted LeMay, Jr.
10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, VA, 22030.

Letters should be received by Friday, July 21, 2006.

The standards cover Office for Law Enforcement’s management, organization, administration, communications, property and evidence control, and relationships with other law enforcement agencies. A copy of these standards is available in each division office.

The accreditation manager for NOAA Fisheries service’s Office for Law Enforcement is Ms. Paula Stuart, (301) 427-2300. For more information, contact the Commission, (800) 368-3757.

In 2007 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, celebrates 200 years of science and service to the nation. From the establishment of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson to the formation of the Weather Bureau and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries in the 1870s, much of America's scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA.
NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners and more than 60 countries to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes.

On the Web:
NOAA Fisheries Service: www.nmfs.noaa.gov
NOAA: www.noaa.gov