Major Jason Wintermute, left, receives an official accreditation plaque from Maceo Frank during a ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point July 17, 2014. The Provost Marshal's Office earned the federal accreditation after a 15-month process. Wintermute is the provost marshal for the air station and Frank is the Law Enforcement Academy East Director with Headquarters Marine Corps' Plans, Policies and Operations Law Enforcement and Corrections Branch.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Grace L. Waladkewics

Cherry Point PMO achieves operational excellence, gains accreditation

23 Jul 2014 | Lance Cpl. Grace L. Waladkewics Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. -- Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point’s Provost Marshal’s Office earned federal accreditation from Headquarters Marine Corps’ Plans, Policies and Operations Law Enforcement and Corrections Branch during a ceremony here July 17, 2014.

HQMC representatives visited Cherry Point on several occasions during the 15-month accreditation process to evaluate each service section within PMO. The representatives addressed the strengths and deficiencies within each section throughout the process.

After assessing Chery Point’s PMO on their compliance with Marine Corps orders and Department of the Navy and Department of Defense policies, HQMC reviewed the department’s training and resources and determined that the department was in line with the approximately 900 accredited law enforcement agencies across the nation.

“Receiving this award allows our department to say we are a professional, accredited department and we meet all the needs of the installation commander by providing security and safety of the installation to the best of our ability,” said Maj. Jason Wintermute, Cherry Point’s provost marshal.

Officials from the station’s PMO and HQMC spoke about the department’s accomplishments and future advancements with the accreditation.

“We have an expected standard to demonstrate proficiency in our daily jobs and we have met that standard here today,” said Wintermute. “It is because of the hard work of all the sections and the personnel in those sections that we have made it to this level of excellence.”

National accreditation shows the Cherry Point community that the air station’s law enforcement personnel are committed to excellence, according to Maj. Emmanuel Carper, an operations and plans officer with the Law Enforcement and Corrections Branch.

“Being an accredited institution is absolutely critical for several reasons,” said Carper. “At every installation, the commander has responsibility for security, safety and law enforcement for that particular base, and the majority of those responsibilities are executed by military police officers.”