Just one year after achieving certification from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission, the Wareham Police Department has been awarded accreditation, the commission's highest honor.

Wareham is one of 33 municipal police departments to reach accreditation.

"Achieving accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission is a very significant accomplishment and a recognition highly regarded by the law enforcement community," said Donna Taylor Mooers, the Commission's executive director.

The department was honored at a January 26 ceremony at the Andover Country Club in Andover. Accreditation was granted for a three-year period.

According to a Wareham Police statement, accreditation is a voluntary evaluation process in which police departments strive to meet and maintain standards that have been established for the profession, by the profession.

Wareham Police Chief Richard Stanley appointed Officer Bill Fihlman to serve as the department's Accreditation Manager. Over a two-year period, Fihlman updated and rewrote 69 of the department's policies and procedures.

"This was a total team effort," Fihlman said in a statement. "The men and women of the department, the Board of Selectmen, the Town Administrator, and citizen volunteers all contributed to our success in achieving this award."

The program sets standards for the law enforcement profession and for the "delivery of police services to citizens of the Commonwealth," according to the statement.

The standards "reflect critical areas of police management, operations, and technical support activities," according to the statement. Among others, the standards cover policy development, emergency response planning, training, communications, property and evidence handling, use of force, vehicular pursuit, prisoner transportation, and holding facilities.

Accreditation has been a goal of Chief Stanley's since he began work in Wareham in 2009, according to the statement.

"This prestigious award is well-earned and I am extremely proud of what this team has accomplished," Stanley said.