Key Biscayne Police Chief Frank Sousa has joined the statewide body that decides how Florida police departments earn their credentials.

Sousa was one of five police chiefs appointed to the Commission for Florida Accreditation during the week of June 30, the Islander News reported Wednesday. The Florida Police Chiefs Association recommended him for the role, which carries a three-year term renewable for one additional term.

The commission reviews law enforcement agencies seeking state accreditation. Sousa will serve on the reviewing authority alongside five sheriffs and four other police chiefs representing Pinellas Park, Punta Gorda, Florida Atlantic University and Tampa International Airport.

"It's an honor to get appointed, and it's important to be involved," Sousa told the Islander News. "It's a unique opportunity and it gives South Florida representation on the board."

New role gives Sousa a say in statewide standards

The appointment puts Sousa in a position to shape the 291 standards that departments statewide must meet. The commission meets three times a year: in St. Augustine in February, Orlando in June and Sanibel in October.

Sousa has led Key Biscayne's department since 2021

Sousa, a Boston native, spent more than 22 years with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and rose to assistant chief, took over Key Biscayne's department Oct. 18, 2021. Under his watch, the department has maintained its streak of continuous accreditation dating to 2005, now in its seventh consecutive three-year cycle.

The department has earned Excelsior status, the program's highest designation, for two consecutive years. Sousa said the department is awaiting its next accreditation review.

Key Biscayne ranks among Florida's safest cities

The department's record coincides with Key Biscayne's standing as one of Florida's safest communities. A June report by home security company Eufy, analyzing FBI-reported crime data from 2024, ranked Key Biscayne third statewide behind Marco Island and North Palm Beach.

The commission's next scheduled meeting is in October in Sanibel.