Knightdale Honors Accreditation Manager as Employee of the Year

Erin Carden (Center) via Knightdale Police Department's Facebook

Police Department’s Triple Accreditation Sets Statewide Benchmark

Knightdale announced their annual Employee of the Year Wednesday night. Town Manager Bill Summers presented the award to Erin Carden, the Police Department’s long-time accreditation manager, praising her as the quiet force behind one of the most significant professional achievements in the agency’s history.

Summers opened the moment by reflecting on why the award matters: the honoree’s name becomes a permanent reminder of excellence within what he described as “an exemplary organization.” But he quickly shifted the spotlight to Erin, calling her forward and noting the unique weight of honoring someone in public safety.

Summers then read remarks from Police Chief Lawrence Capps, who was unable to attend but sent a detailed tribute highlighting Erin’s 12 years of service and her leadership in navigating three demanding accreditation processes: CALEA accreditation, NCIA accreditation, and the League of Municipalities’ Law Enforcement Risk Review.

Managing even one accreditation is a challenge, Capps wrote, but Erin coordinated all three simultaneously — maintaining extensive documentation, conducting routine audits, and ensuring compliance across multiple regulatory frameworks. Her work helped Knightdale achieve a historic milestone: becoming the first and only law enforcement agency in North Carolina to hold all three credentials.

“This accomplishment not only elevates our department’s operational excellence,” Capps noted, “but sets a benchmark for law enforcement statewide.”

Erin’s impact extends beyond Knightdale. She was recently named NCLEA Mentor of the Year for guiding other agencies through their first accreditation efforts, a recognition Capps said reflects her commitment to strengthening the profession as a whole.

Summers underscored how Erin’s behind‑the‑scenes work strengthens the department’s credibility and resilience. “When we face difficult moments, we can demonstrate how we’ve always committed ourselves to going far above and beyond the standard benchmark,” he said. “That is the fruit of your labor.”

After a brief photo, Mayor Jessica Day closed the segment by thanking all of the evening’s honorees for their dedication.

“I get to brag on Knightdale,” Day said, “because of the moments where you’ve chosen to go above and beyond. You make this town an even better place to live.”