The Professional Standards Unit is responsible for investigating complaints made against officers; staff inspections of other operational components; conducting planning and research assignments including research on grant applications and overseeing and maintaining the accreditation compliance for the department. The commanding officer, who is responsible for conducting inspections of all organizational components, supervises a Sergeant and reports directly to the Chief of Police.

Internal Affairs
The Internal Affairs function of the Profession Standards Unit is responsible for investigating complaints made against members of the department.  Complaints made against officers were investigated and logged into the units computerized record tracking system, "IA Track". This computerized database, allows for complete cataloging of all complaints and allows easy research and evaluation of the types of complaints made against members of the department. All complaints made against department members are fully investigated and a report of the findings is forwarded to the Chief of Police.

Training, Testing & Recruitment
Professional Standards is responsible for maintaining certification and providing state-mandated training for the department. The unit coordinates over 2700 man-hours of training in twenty subject areas, training approximately one-third of the sworn personnel each year. The training is provided by department officers, state-certified by the Police Officer Standards Training Council in specific curriculum areas.

The Division also coordinates specialized training for Emergency Services, Bicycle Patrol Unit, Marine Unit and K-9 officers, as well as advanced training in such areas as Criminal Investigation, Accident Investigation, Cultural Diversity, Management/Supervision, Critical Incident, Narcotics and Community Policing among others.

The Training component continues to maintain its presence as a leader in training and record-keeping in the State. All of the Departments training records are computerized and the quality of instruction is such that many instructors from the department are asked to instruct at other agencies, such as the Fairfield County Training Officers Association and the POST Council Training among others.

Finally, the unit oversees training, testing and recruitment of new officers.

Planning and Research and Accreditation
The department was awarded International Accreditation in March of 1995 by the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). The Sergeant in this position continues to update and revise policies and procedures to maintain compliance with accreditation standards. The department is reassessed every 3 years to assure continued compliance.

The planning and research component is responsible for preparing reports on various issues as assigned by the Chief of Police and coordinates all department grant proposals and applications.