The West Earl Township Police Department is on the path to accreditation, led by Police Chief Eric Higgins. The department is working toward accreditation through the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association's Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (PLEAC), which would signify that the police department follows policies, standards and best practices in law enforcement.

Before moving to Pennsylvania, Higgins served for 26 years as a police officer, including 15 years as chief, in Lakehurst, N.J. He and his wife honeymooned in Lancaster County, and the Higgins family later returned on vacation. Higgins hoped to move to Lancaster County one day, so when the West Earl Township Police chief position came up, everything fell into place.

When Higgins stepped into his new job four years ago, he sought to increase the department's professionalism. Changes included officer trainings, policy updates, a focus on community policing and efforts to become more community-focused. The department now plans community outreach events and seeks to increase communication between the police and citizens.

Higgins' efforts also included starting the accreditation process. Using grant funds awarded last year by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, the police department hired a consultant to help update policies, and Higgins also sought input from staff members. Since beginning the accreditation process, Higgins has updated or added 41 polices to meet PLEAC standards and implement best practices of law enforcement. The updated policies relate to vehicle pursuits, traffic control and enforcement, domestic violence and protection from abuse, arrest procedures, interviews and interrogations, fair and impartial policing, and other areas of policing.

The department is now in the second phase of accreditation, during which it must gather proof that it meets PLEAC's standards. The third phase will entail providing this proof to the assessors at PLEAC and will include a two-day, on-site review that Higgins hopes will occur in June. If awarded, accreditation would be in effect for three years, after which the 12-officer staff would have to maintain this status each year.