Staff report

BOARDMAN — Boardman Township Police Chief Todd Werth announced Friday that his department was selected as one of eight Ohio law enforcement agencies to achieve accreditation through the new Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program.

The recognition was announced Feb. 18 during the quarterly meeting of the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board in Columbus.

“The Boardman Police Department has worked hard over the last several years to meet the best practice standards of the Ohio Collaborative,” Werth said. “Taking that next significant step to become only one of 24 agencies in the state to achieve formal accreditation speaks to the professionalism of the men and women of our department who work hard every day in our community.

“The efforts of Lt. Mike Sweeney and officer Bill Woods throughout this process was instrumental in achieving the accreditation.”

Gov. Mike DeWine created the program in 2024 to recognize law enforcement agencies that voluntarily meet or exceed roughly 36 state standards that address various core responsibilities such as professional conduct, bias-free policing, crisis intervention, and community engagement.

Boardman joins Beachwood Police Department, Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, Gallia County Sheriff’s Office and Summit County Sheriff’s Office in earning the accreditation this year. There are now 24 agencies with the accreditation in Ohio, including three in Mahoning County — the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, the Beaver Township Police Department, and Boardman.

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.

The program expands on the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Certification Program, which has certified more than 600 law enforcement agencies on specific best practices regarding use of force and law enforcement recruitment, hiring and screening.

Boardman had previously obtained certification in all of the collaborative categories prior to seeking this new 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.

The agencies who received accreditation will be formally recognized at the upcoming Ohio Department of Public Safety, Office of Criminal Justice Services 2026 Pathway to Excellence Summit in April.

Werth said the accreditation also can be used to highlight the department’s successes and qualifications when it applies for grant opportunities in the future.