Beyond the Policy Manual: How Accreditation Can Strengthen Emergency Communications Centers

Emergency communications centers (ECCs) operate in an environment of constant change. New technologies emerge. Operational approaches evolve. Personnel turn over. Expectations regarding how public safety agencies serve their communities. Policies provide one of the most important tools for navigating that change.

Effective policies provide the foundation for consistent operations, training, administration, and decision-making. But simply having policies is not enough. They need to remain relevant, personnel need to understand them, and ECC officials need a disciplined process for reviewing and updating them.

That is where accreditation can play an important role.

Accreditation provides a framework that can help ECCs develop strong policies, maintain them over time, and create greater confidence that the organization is operating according to established standards and practices.

Policies should be living documents

One of the biggest challenges ECCs face is attempting to operate today using policies developed for yesterday. Technology has changed dramatically during the past 15 or 20 years. So too have operational approaches. Policies written long ago might reference technologies and processes that no longer are useful. Instead of continually adapting an antiquated manual, ECCs can look to accreditation standards for guidance about the policies a modern communications center should have in place.

Policies generally need to address three major areas: administration, training, and operations:

• Administrative policies govern matters such as hiring, discipline, personnel practices, interviews, and promotions.
• Training policies establish expectations for personnel after they are hired, including required training and certifications.
• Operational policies address how the center performs its work — from handling emergency, nonemergency, and alarm calls to responding when problems occur with systems or information.

But policy development cannot be treated as a one-time project.

Rather, policies should be living documents that evolve alongside the organization. When a new technology or operational process is implemented, ECC officials should consider whether existing policies need to change or whether new policies need to be created.

Writing policies Is only half the job

Even the best policies have limited value if personnel do not know they exist or understand what they require — this is especially important in large ECCs. Electronic systems can help in this regard as they document that personnel have reviewed new or revised policies. For significant policies, comprehension checks — think multiple-choice or true/false quizzes — can help demonstrate that personnel not only have read the material but also understand it.

This becomes particularly important as personnel change. ECCs often experience significant workforce turnover. Maintaining an effective policy program helps ensure that new employees understand organizational expectations and that established personnel remain aligned with current procedures. Done effectively, this can contribute to a more professional workplace and provide personnel with confidence that they are doing things the right way.

Accreditation creates a path forward

Accreditation can provide the structure that ECCs need to make this continuous process manageable. Think of accreditation as the track beneath a train. The accrediting organization's standards establish the track, while center officials develop and maintain the policies that keep operations moving in the appropriate direction.

Depending on the state and discipline, several accreditation organizations and resources might be available. Where a state accrediting organization exists, it can be an effective starting point. Accreditation standards themselves can serve as valuable guides because they identify the types of policies that ECCs should consider implementing.

That structure can be especially valuable for consolidated communications centers, which might dispatch for numerous law enforcement agencies as well as fire departments and ambulance services. Personnel working within such a center can come from very different organizational backgrounds. When that happens, common policies and accreditation standards help establish consistency.

Accreditation encourages continuous improvement

Accreditation also helps prevent policies from becoming static. Accrediting organizations might require centers to review their policies during each accreditation period and make changes as standards evolve. Consequently, ECCs have an external mechanism encouraging them to periodically examine their technologies and operations instead of allowing policies to sit untouched for years. Even when a state lacks an accrediting organization, Center officials can look to established accreditation standards in other states — particularly large states — or national trade associations as models for developing their own policies.

Regardless of how accreditation is leveraged, the objective should be bigger than earning an accreditation designation. The fundamental question is not whether an ECC can display an accreditation credential. It is whether the organization has policies that function effectively and support its operations.

You don't have to navigate the process alone

For some ECCs — particularly smaller organizations — the biggest challenge may be resources. Developing effective policies requires someone who can gather or write them, distribute them appropriately, and remain attentive to maintaining them over time. Not every center has a staff member with the time, experience, or inclination to take on that responsibility.

If your center is one of those, you can seek assistance from neighboring accredited organizations, policy-development resources, or experienced outside professionals. Mission Critical Partners has numerous subject-matter experts with firsthand experience in developing public safety policies and participating in accreditation programs, including experience serving as accreditation assessors.

For emergency communications leaders, the goal should not be to simply create a thicker policy manual. It should be to build a sustainable framework that keeps policies current, ensures that personnel understand them, and helps the organization evolve alongside technology and changing operational practices.

Whether an ECC is pursuing formal accreditation, preparing for reaccreditation, or simply trying to strengthen its policy framework, MCP's experienced public safety consultants can help its officials determine where they are today and build a path toward where they need to be. Let’s chat.

Pat Weidel is an MCP project manager. Email him at PatrickWeidel@MissionCriticalPartners.com.