Gainesville, VA, November 29, 2022 ─ The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), the Gold Standard in Public Safety, is pleased to announce the appointment of five new Commissioners. They are Chief Terrence Green, Lexington (SC) Police Department, Director Hector Lopez Santillana, State of Guanajuato Inland Ports, Mexico, Chief Kimberly Koster, Wyoming (MI) Police Department, Chief Rex Mueller, Sioux City (IA) Police Department, and Chief Wendell Shirley, Bellevue (WA) Police Department. All appointments are effective January 1, 2023.
Terrence Green has been the chief of the Lexington (SC) Police Department since 2006 and previously he was the assistant chief for the respective agency. Chief Green began his career with the department in 1993 as a patrol officer. Throughout his service within the agency, he has worked in various operational and administrative components and led the organization to receiving CALEA Accreditation in 2008. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Public Administration from Strayer University. He is a graduate of several executive leadership and management programs. Chief Green is an alumnus of the FBI National Academy, president of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association, and past-president of the South Carolina Police Chiefs’ Association.
Hector Lopez Santillana is the managing director for Guanajuato Inland Ports, and the former Mayor of Leon, Guanajuato. He was previously the secretary of Sustainable Economic Development and former Governor of the same state. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from El Bajio University.
Kimberly Koster has led the Wyoming (MI) Police Department as chief of police since 2018. With 26 years of public safety experience, she has served in many capacities within the agency and has received executive and leadership training, including the FBI National Academy. Chief Koster holds an associate’s degree from Grand Rapids Junior College, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Grand Valley State University, and a Master of Criminal Justice Administration from Ferris State University. She is currently president of the Kent County Chiefs’ Association and was appointed by the governor to the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES).
Rex Mueller is chief of police for Sioux City (IA) Police Department. He began his career in 1996 as a patrol officer and rose through the ranks, becoming chief in 2017. Chief Mueller has several leadership accomplishments and has established strategic committees to further the department’s training capacities, recruitment efforts, and community involvement. He has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of South Dakota and is an alumnus of the FBI National Academy.
Wendell J. Shirley is the chief of police for the Bellevue (WA)Police Department. Previously, Chief Shirley enjoyed a 25-year-career with the Santa, Monica (CA) Police Department, where he commanded every division in the department, retiring as a captain in 2019. During the civil unrest in 2020, Chief Shirley returned to law enforcement to effect positive change within the profession. Chief Shirley has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology/Criminology and holds a Master of Public Administration from California State University. Additionally, he graduated from the FBI National Academy and holds several professional certifications.
The knowledge and experience these new Commissioners bring to CALEA ensures the organization continues to meet its mission of promoting professionalism within the field of public safety. CALEA congratulates and welcomes these individuals to the Board of Commissioners.
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About CALEA
The organization was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of law enforcement's major executive associations: International Association of Chiefs of Police; National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives; National Sheriffs' Association; and the Police Executive Research Forum.
The purpose of CALEA’s programs is to improve the delivery of public safety services, primarily by: maintaining a body of standards, developed by public safety practitioners, covering a wide range of contemporary public safety topics and responsibilities; establishing and administering an accreditation process; and recognizing professional excellence.
Specifically, CALEA’s goals are to: strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities; formalize essential management procedures; establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices; improve service delivery; solidify interagency cooperation and coordination; and increase community and staff confidence in the agency.
The CALEA Accreditation process is a proven modern management model; once implemented, it presents the Chief Executive Officer, on a continuing basis, with a blueprint that promotes the efficient use of resources and improves service delivery—regardless of the size, geographic location, or functional responsibilities of the agency.
CALEA Accreditation provides public safety agencies an opportunity to voluntarily demonstrate they meet an established set of professional standards based on industry best practices and approved by an all-volunteer Board of Commissioners.
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Source: W. Craig Hartley, Jr., CALEA Executive Director, (703) 352-4225, Extension 137 www.calea.org