BCI voluntarily follows professional standards set by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. The nonprofit organization accredits law enforcement agencies around the world to document that they work to achieve the best outcomes in the delivery of services.
CALEA prescribes standards related to the administration, operation and personnel practices of law enforcement, and then it judges agencies through a five-part evaluation, including community feedback.
BCI has been accredited by CALEA since 1998, most recently in 2020, when it also received the CALEA Advanced Reaccreditation Award.
An annual summary of BCI’s internal affairs activity is available to the public by contacting BCI@OhioAGO.gov.
BCI laboratories are accredited to ISO 17025 International Standards for Testing Laboratories.
Laboratory accreditation from an independent organization assures that the practices and procedures employed at BCI comply with standards observed around the world, which is key to ensuring consistency in the forensic science field amid a period of fast-paced advancements. Accreditation gives BCI and those it serves confidence in lab results and enables BCI to participate in national databases, such as the FBI-supported Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), and provide expert testimony in criminal trials.
ANSI National Accreditation Board, a nonprofit organization that leads the field of forensic science in accreditation, regularly audits labs like BCI’s to evaluate the ability to produce precise, accurate test and calibration data. Details of BCI’s accreditation are in the following documents:
Current Laboratory Methods Manuals
BCI’s Laboratory Division has been accredited by ANSI National Accreditation Board or its precursor (American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board) since 2002.
Recognizing the importance of transparency and accountability in its enforcement operations, BCI began the process of implementing body-worn cameras for its agents in 2022.
BCI is committed to using body-worn cameras (BWCs) in circumstances where the use of force may occur, such as pre-planned law enforcement operations. Specifically, BCI agents will wear and activate body-worn cameras in order to record their actions during attempts to serve an arrest warrant or during other pre-planned arrest attempts, and during the execution of search and seizure warrants.
Video evidence provides an additional layer of evidence in investigations and may increase the public’s trust in these interactions with law enforcement officers.
BCI anticipates that its agents will begin using body-worm cameras in autumn 2022.