About

Anderson, Indiana, is located in central Indiana and is the county seat of Madison County. Anderson is approximately 40 miles northeast of Indianapolis. The city comprises 41.7 square miles with 54,817 residents as of 2021. Anderson is the largest city in Madison County, with 130,782 residents in its 452.9 square mile land mass.

Anderson Police Department is organized into three divisions- Operations, Investigations/Support, and Community Affairs. All three divisions are commanded by Assistant Chiefs, who report directly to the Chief of Police.

The Operations Division is the patrol component of the agency. The department works a 12-hour shift on a 14-day pattern, so it has two day and two nightshifts.

The Investigations/Support Division is an investigative component of the agency. The major components of the division are criminal investigations, the forensic lab, the property room, the Crime Stoppers program, and direct liaison with the Madison County Prosecutors Office. The division also physically contains and administers the Madison County Drug Task Force.

The Community Affairs Division's responsibilities include professional standards, recruitment, training, records unit, research and planning, computer support, community policing, crime watch programs, and assisting the City Court with security when in session.

In June of 2022, Mayor Thomas J. Broderick Jr. and Chief Michael Lee initiated the process of the Anderson Police Department becoming state-accredited through the Indiana Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (ILEAC). The process entailed revising Anderson Police Department policies to meet ILEAC standards. The Indiana Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission administers the development of standards and best practices for agencies across the state. State accreditation is a clear statement of exceptional professionalism and commitment to excellence in law enforcement.

The Indiana Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission was formed in 2005 to establish a body of standards designed to:

• Increase law enforcement agency capabilities to prevent and control crime

• Increase agency effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of law enforcement services

• Increase cooperation and coordination with other law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system

• Increase citizen and employee confidence in the agency's goals, objectives, policies, and practices.

The benefits for the Anderson Police Department to be accredited include a proven management system of written directives, sound training, clearly defined lines of authority and routine reports that support decision-making and resource allocation. Accreditation embodies the precepts of community-oriented policing. It creates a forum where the Anderson Police Department and the citizens can work together to prevent and control challenges confronting law enforcement and provide a concise direction regarding community expectations. Anderson Police Department will obtain “state of the art” impartial guidelines for evaluation and change.

On October 25, 2023, the Indiana Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission confirmed Anderson Police Department as an accredited police department. There are only 14 police departments in the state of Indiana that are accredited, with the Anderson Police Department being the only agency in Madison County.