Police Transparency

Committed to Excellence in Public Safety

The Hendersonville Police Department is dedicated to transparency, accountability, and strengthening public trust. Guided by our mission to serve with excellence and our vision to be a leader in 21st Century Policing, we uphold the values of integrity, respect, and professionalism in everything we do.

Our commitment to continuous improvement is reflected in our Strategic Plan, our participation in the International Association of Chiefs of Police Trust-Building Campaign, and our achievement of national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

Transparency in Action

We believe in open communication and community engagement. To promote transparency, we provide public access to:

NCLEA Accreditation Public Notice

The Hendersonville Police Department will undergo an assessment on November 16, 2026, as part of its pursuit of law enforcement accreditation. This assessment, conducted by the North Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation (NCLEA) program, is designed to ensure that our department meets established professional standards.

The accreditation process evaluates various aspects of law enforcement operations, including policies and procedures, administration, support services, training, facilities management, safety, and record-keeping. These standards are crucial for maintaining high-quality public safety services.

We invite both agency employees and community members to provide feedback on the Hendersonville Police Department's adherence to NCLEA's standards. Comments should be submitted via email or mail by November 15th, 2026, one day before the on-site assessment. All feedback will be reviewed by the Assessment Team.

For details on the NCLEA standards, please visit the North Carolina Department of Justice website at NCLEA Standards 

To submit your comments, please email them to NCaccred@ncdoj.gov, including "Hendersonville Police Department" in the subject line, or mail them to:

North Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation (NCLEA)
ATT: NCLEA Program Manager
PO Drawer 149
Raleigh, NC 27602

Thank you for your participation and support in this important process. 

Hendersonville Police Department Monthly Report

HPD provides a monthly report to keep the community informed of department activities, statistics, crime tips and notable events. These reports are the result of the ideas and feedback generated by HPD's Citizen Advisory Group.  

International CALEA Accreditation: A Commitment to Excellence

On November 16, 2024, HPD was awarded international accreditation by CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies), recognizing our adherence to internationally accepted best practices in law enforcement. At the time of accreditation, out of over 18,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide, only 1,303 were CALEA-accredited—and HPD was one of only three agencies in Western North Carolina to achieve this distinction.

Why Accreditation Matters:

• Enhances community trust through accountability and transparency
• Improves policies and procedures to meet the highest professional standards
• Strengthens crime prevention and response capabilities
• Supports fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices
• Reduces liability and legal risks

To earn this accreditation, HPD underwent a multi-year assessment, including a rigorous review of policies, procedures, facilities, community engagement, and operational practices. Visit CALEA's Public Comment Portal(opens in a new tab) to submit Feedback.

Trust Building Campaign

The Hendersonville Police Department has pledged to complete the International Association of Chiefs of Police Trust-Building Campaign. In these pages, you will see the extraordinary steps the agency has taken to fulfill all twenty-five best practices. We started this journey in March 2023 to ensure that we meet the highest standards and most current leading practices in law enforcement. View the Trust Building Campaign. (PDF, 8 MB)

Policy Improvements

We are always looking to improve. To suggest a change to an HPD policy, send an email to communitypolicing@hvlnc.gov.