UC Public Safety achieves Ohio law enforcement agency accreditation

The University of Cincinnati Public Safety Department is pleased to announce that it is among seven Ohio law enforcement agencies that achieved accreditation through the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program this week. The accreditation was approved during the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board meeting on Aug. 12, 2026.

Governor Mike DeWine created the program in 2024 to recognize law enforcement agencies that voluntarily meet or exceed nearly three dozen state standards that address various core responsibilities such as professional conduct, bias-free policing, crisis intervention, and community engagement.

“I am thrilled to have achieved accreditation from the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. The UCPD is committed to the highest standards of professionalism, and this is a meaningful way we can reaffirm that commitment,” said Associate Vice President of Public Safety and Chief of Police Eliot Isaac.

Burkhammer also told the board that, “Our assessor noted, when asked what they feel they do best, the answer was the development of strategic plans and implementing the points within the plan as they were intended.”

The program, which is the only state-administered accreditation program in the nation that does not charge law enforcement agencies to participate, is voluntary and open to all law enforcement agencies in the state.

“These accreditation processes, both nationally and statewide, really leads to the legitimacy of the hardworking excellence that we strive for in law enforcement. This means so much,” Isaac said.

John DeJarnette, Chief of Staff for UCPS, and Nicole Haberer, Clery Compliance Specialist, led the accreditation process for the department. DeJarnette said, “We are very appreciative to receive this award, and we are grateful to the state for providing this opportunity for law enforcement agencies to examine and reinforce best practices. For the UCPS, this process fortified our core values, including providing legitimacy, accountability, and transparency.”

The accreditation program expands on a separate program - the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Certification Program - which has certified more than 600 law enforcement agencies, including the UCPD, on specific best practices regarding use of force and law enforcement recruitment, hiring, and screening. All certification standards are considered mandatory for accreditation.

The Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board was created in 2015 to strengthen law enforcement’s relationship with the public. It works in coordination with the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Office of Criminal Justice Services and consults with the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association.