(a) An on-site assessment shall be conducted to verify law enforcement agency compliance with program standards prior to the awarding of accreditation status. Such assessments shall be conducted by independent consultants retained by the Division of Criminal Justice Services specifically for this purpose. All assessors must meet minimum qualifications established by the council and must successfully complete a period of training conducted by the program staff.
(b) Program staff shall assign assessors to review the policies and procedures of applicant law enforcement agencies in a way that assures the objectivity of the assessment process. No member of a law enforcement agency that has been assessed for accreditation shall be permitted to participate in the assessment of any law enforcement agency employing an individual who served on the assessment team. Every effort shall be made to utilize at least one assessor who worked at a law enforcement agency of the same approximate size and type as the ones that he or she will be assigned to assess.
(c) Program staff shall provide law enforcement agencies seeking accreditation with a list of potential assessors prior to the on-site assessment. Law enforcement agency officials shall have the right to disqualify any individual whose participation in the assessment process would represent a conflict of interest. Assessors may also be disqualified for other compelling reasons that are brought to the attention of program staff.
(d) Law enforcement agencies seeking to be accredited shall have the burden of proving that they are in compliance with all requirements. Any law enforcement agency granted a waiver on any standard(s), in accordance with section 6035.4 of this Part, shall be required to make such waiver, and any other pertinent information, available to the assessors for their review. The council reserves the right to review any or all of the documentation shown to the program assessors.
(e) Upon completion of the on-site assessment, assessors shall meet with the chief of police of the law enforcement agency or his or her designee to present a verbal summary of the findings and recommendations that will be made to the council. Assessors shall prepare a written report of their findings and recommendations in a standard format approved by the council. Assessors shall submit this report to program staff within 30 calendar days of the assessment. Program staff shall mail a copy of the written report to the law enforcement agency as well as to each member of the council before the council meets to consider accrediting such agency.