By Jessica Dillon
The Piedmont Regional Criminal Justice Training Academy has earned accreditation from Cognia, officials announced Monday during an event hosted by New College Institute.
Benjamin Rea, executive director of the Piedmont Regional Justice Academy, said the recognition has been a long-term goal.
“The academy’s been seeking this for quite some time, since the academy’s existence. It’s just great to be able to know that we have the support from the board to get to this point,” Rea said.
Cognia is a global nonprofit improvement organization that provides accreditation and certification, assessment and improvement services within a framework of continuous improvement. The organization serves about 40,000 public and private institutions from early learning through high school in more than 90 countries.
Officials said earning accreditation places the academy in good standing for a six-year term.
Dr. Mark Elgart, Cognia’s president and CEO, said the organization recognizes the academy for meeting student learning standards. Cognia’s Accreditation Commission, the Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation, evaluates institutions using performance standards focused on continuous improvement.
During the event, Rea read a statement from Donna Wear, regional accreditation evaluator for Cognia’s Northeast Region:
“Congratulations to the representatives of Piedmont Regional Criminal Justice Training Academy who diligently prepared for the Cognia Accreditation Engagement Review (AER). They, along with their staff, assessed the academy’s procedures and protocols using the Cognia Performance Standards as a guide. Executive Director Benjamin Rea and Deputy Director Stephen Brockway thoroughly reviewed, analyzed, and evaluated the Academy’s programs in a transparent manner. I was honored to work with the leaders and staff, interview many stakeholders, and meet virtually with the Academy’s Board members. Congratulations to Piedmont Regional Criminal Justice Training Academy for achieving Cognia’s accreditation and becoming a partner in education for all students, staff, and stakeholders.”
“They’re really heavy on stakeholders. In other words, your community gets involved with what we do,” Rea said.
The review process, Rea said, was completed more than two months earlier than initially expected. The assessment was conducted remotely rather than onsite, which he said reduced costs.
“Our assigned assessor reviewed all materials, policies, and procedures to ensure we were meeting standards,” Rea said.
“My staff and I and this board, we are dedicated to doing this, doing it right and keeping it as long as we can. We’re not going to falter. We will continue doing what we’re doing and making things better, not just for the community but for our law enforcement officers, anybody that comes through training, public safety dispatchers, law enforcement, jail, whoever it may be,” he said.
