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Molinelli called the experience “rewarding and often eye- opening” for him and his staff.
“Through accreditation, the goals and objectives of the Office have been codified and the manner of achieving same, documented,” he said. “The end result is a shared commitment to excellence by all the members of the agency who faithfully serve the law enforcement community and the citizens of Bergen County.”
Some have taken runs at Molinelli in recent years, looking for some hint of scandal involving the 50-year-old Democratic prosecutor. All have come up empty.
Molinelli, who began as a local attorney, clearly has grown into the job. His record defines his work, he says, and the accreditation and recognition process is proof.
The rigorous system ensures that law enforcement agencies adhere to a system of “best practices”: That means an agency must have a cleaer and uniform system of written directions, ensuring consistency in how everyone who works there operates — from the clerks to the investigators to the attorneys who prosecute cases, and on up to Molinelli himself.
It’s not an honor that’s taken — or bestowed — lightly. Senior law enforcement officials from throughout the state and nation scrutinize the agency’s practices to ensure compliance.
For Molinelli and his staff, it began in May with an on-site inspection of the county prosecutor’s facilities in Hackensack and Paramus and a careful review of his written system of directives.
The prosecutor and his accreditation team then went before the New Jersey State Chiefs of Police Association on June 10 in Princeton, where they received unanimous approval.
The formal award of accreditation will take place at a dinner hosted by the New Jersey State Chiefs of Police Association next Wednesday in Atlantic City.
Meanwhile, Molinelli is applying for similar distinction from the Council on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (C.A.L.E.A.).
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