ZEBULON, N.C. (March 17, 2026) – The Zebulon Police Department has been awarded national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) through its Law Enforcement Accreditation Program.
The accreditation was announced March 14 following a multi-year process that included a comprehensive self-assessment, a detailed web-based review and a multi-day on-site evaluation conducted by CALEA assessors.
Police Planner David Gregory and Capt. Edwin Killette represented the department during the final review hearing at the CALEA conference in Tucson, Arizona. Agencies seeking accreditation appear before CALEA’s 21-member Board of Commissioners, which reviews all findings and determines an agency’s accreditation status.
Later that evening, during the conference’s celebration banquet, the CALEA president and executive director awarded the Zebulon Police Department its first national accreditation, recognizing the department’s commitment to excellence in public safety and service to the community.
With the award, the department now enters CALEA’s four-year accreditation cycle, which includes annual remote, web-based file reviews and a comprehensive on-site assessment during the fourth year to ensure the department continues to meet national standards.
“The process was a true test of being put through the paces. You learn a lot about your department and how it operates at every level - the efficient parts and those parts that need fine tuning alike. CALEA lays the framework for departments to be professional and consistent in their service delivery, and enables departments to adequately prepare for the unanticipated while allowing for continuous evaluation and improvement as a whole,” said Gregory.
Gregory joined the Zebulon Police Department in 2023 to lead the department’s accreditation efforts. Prior to joining the department, he served 30 years as a sworn law enforcement officer, including many years in senior leadership roles.
Chief Anthony Puckett said the accreditation reflects years of dedication and teamwork across the department.
“Achieving CALEA accreditation is a proud moment for the Zebulon Police Department and the community we serve,” Puckett said. “This recognition reflects the professionalism, accountability and commitment to excellence demonstrated by our officers and staff every day. I’m especially proud of the work led by our accreditation team and the dedication of our entire department in meeting these national standards.”
In 1979, the CALEA Commission was created through the combined efforts of four major law enforcement organizations: the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriffs’ Association and the Police Executive Research Forum.
The purpose of the commission is to develop standards based on international best practices in public safety and to establish and administer the accreditation process. The accreditation process allows public safety agencies to voluntarily demonstrate they meet professionally recognized criteria for excellence in management and service delivery.
“This award of accreditation does not come easy,” said CALEA President Matthew Packard. “Agencies must go through a rigorous review and evaluation of their organization and then implement the necessary policy and procedure changes. The process does not stop at that point. By voluntarily choosing to seek CALEA accreditation, the agency commits to an ongoing review of adherence to CALEA’s standards. Each community with CALEA accredited agencies should feel confident that their public safety organization is going above and beyond and operating under the highest standards in public safety.”
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Media Contact:
Heather Louise Finch
Director of Communications
Town of Zebulon
hfinch@townofzebulon.org