Algonquin Police Earns Gold Standard

Editor's note: There is a correction to this story. The Algonquin Police Department received Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation.

The Algonquin Police Department has joined an elite group of law enforcement agencies that have earned the gold standard of police safety.

Chief Russell Laine announced the department received Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation (ILEA) last month. 

Algonquin will receive a plaque at a ceremony later.

“It’s pretty impressive,” Trustee Jim Steigert said. “It is certainly something that deserves kudos.”

The department has been working on getting ILEA accreditation for about three and a half years, said Officer Chris Filippini, who oversaw the effort. It’s a lengthy process that requires police department conduct a self-assessment then

Have an on-site assessment followed by commission review. There are 182 standards the commission requires department meet covering topics like organization structure, operations and response to critical incidents.

ILEA’s process helps departments with professional development, establishing policies and making sure those policies are being met, Filippini said.

“It further professionalizes law enforcement,” the veteran officer said.

Algonquin police became only the 13th agency in Illinois to obtain ILEA accreditation.

Filippini joined the force 25 years ago when it had a handful of sworn officers. Algonquin police have 49 sworn officers.

As Algonquin has grown and changed, so has its police department. Law enforcement has become more professional and officers need more tools, he said.

ILEA accreditation helps in professional development and gives officers tools to do their job effectively, he said. “Everything we do is ever-evolving,” Filippini said. “Through accreditation, we make sure all this information is getting to the officers.”