On February 17, 2026 the Williamstown Police Department was awarded Certification through the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.
The Williamstown Police Department has been working towards this goal over the past several years. In October of 2025 an assessment team examined the policies and procedures of the Williamstown Police Department with a particular emphasis on high-risk activities such as Use of Force, Motor Vehicle Pursuits, Juveniles, Evidence Control and other areas.
The assessment team consisted of Captain Victor Neal, Retired, of the Westford Police Department as Facilitator, Lieutenant Jason Hanscom of the Chelmsford Police Department and Sergeant Andrew Homestead of the Duxbury Police Department as Assessors.
Accreditation is a self-initiated process by which police agencies voluntarily strive to meet and maintain standards that have been established for the law enforcement profession by the profession. The program establishes standards on best practices for police agencies to adopt.
The Commission grants two awards: Certification and Accreditation. Certification includes only mandatory standards. Accreditation is comprised of mandatory and optional standards. The Williamstown Police Department is now working towards fully accredited status, a process which is estimated to require another two years.
Chief Michael Ziemba stated today “I am grateful to every member of the Williamstown Police Department for their efforts in reaching this important milestone. We remain committed to the accreditation process as a key component of upholding our agency values of Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, Dedication and Excellence.”
The Williamstown Police Department Accreditation Manager is Charles Chandler, retired Assistant Chief of Police at the University of Southern Mississippi Police Department.