Valley Communications Center was presented their fifth Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement (CALEA) re-accreditation award during their monthly Administration Board Meeting.

In attendance were Mayor Denis Law, Renton; Mayor Suzette Cooke, Kent; Mayor Jim Haggerton, Tukwila; Mayor Nancy Backus, Auburn; and Mayor Jim Ferrell, Federal Way. CALEA Commissioner and Bellevue, WA Police Chief Linda Pillo presented the award to Valley Com Executive Director Lora Ueland, Accreditation Manager Mary Sue Robey and Assistant Accreditation Manager Tracy Fitzgerald.

CALEA was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of law enforcement’s major executive associations.  CALEA’s purpose is to improve the delivery of public safety services and agencies who qualify for accreditation have gone through a rigorous review process and have established policies and structure that promotes the efficient use of resources and improves service delivery.

Valley Com first achieved CALEA accreditation status in 2001 and was the first 911 communications center on the West coast to earn the award. The Commission complimented Valley Com’s many achievements including being the first 911 communications center in the country to have earned the Association of Public-Safety Communication Officials (APCO) P-33 certification for their training program for telecommunicators.

About Valley Com:  In 1976, the mayors of the Cities of  Auburn, Kent, Renton and Tukwila entered in to an Interlocal Agreement to consolidate their police and fire dispatching services into one organization and Valley Communications Center was created.  In 2000, the City of Federal Way joined as our fifth owner agency.

Valley Com provides emergency communications for 22 police, fire and medical agencies in South King County and is the largest combined 911 Com Center in the State of Washington. More information can be found at www.valleycom.org.