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Gadsden County Sheriff's Office Accreditation Team meets with Lt. Steve Harrelson, accreditation manager for the Leon County Sheriff's Office.

Members of the Gadsden County Sheriff's Office met with Lieutenant Steven F. Harrelson, Accreditation Manager of the Leon County Sheriff's Office's Office of Professional Standards, to gain insight on the possibility of gaining accreditation. Leon County Sheriff's Office has been accredited since 1997 in which, Sheriff Larry Campbell is also a commissioner for the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Incorporated. Accreditation has long been recognized as a means of maintaining the highest standards of professionalism. Accreditation is the certification by an independent reviewing authority that an entity has met specific requirements and prescribed standards. In 1993, Florida Statute 943.125 directed that the Florida Sheriffs Association and the Florida Police Chiefs Association create a voluntary law enforcement accreditation program. Representatives from these Associations developed a process for accreditation which required compliance with more than 250 professional standards designed specifically for Florida law enforcement agencies. The Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. was formed, comprised of four sheriffs, four chiefs, and one representative each from the Association of Counties, the League of Cities, the State Law Enforcement Chiefs' Association, and the Judiciary. The Commission meets quarterly to oversee the accreditation program and to officially accredit agencies that have passed the rigorous review process.

Accreditation comes with several benefits to the community, the sheriff and his or her deputies. It increases the law enforcement agency's ability to prevent and control crime through more effective and efficient delivery of law enforcement services to the community it serves. Accreditation enhances community understanding of the law enforcement agency and its role in the community as well as its goals and objectives. Citizen confidence in the policies and practices of the agency is increased. Accreditation, in conjunction with the philosophy of community policing, commits the agency to a broad range of programs (such as crime prevention) that directly benefit the public. Accreditation creates a forum in which police and citizens work together to control and prevent crime. This partnership will help citizens to understand the challenges that confront law enforcement. Law enforcement will, in turn, receive clear direction from the community about its expectations. Thus, a common set of goals and objectives will be arrived at and implemented. The benefits for the sheriff and his or her command staff are gained in cooperation and coordination with other law enforcement agencies and other branches of the criminal justice system. The accreditation process requires an in-depth review of every aspect of the agencys organization, management, operations, and administration to include: * establishment of agency goals and objectives with provisions for periodic updating; * re-evaluation of whether agency resources are being used in accord with agency goals, objectives, and mission; * re-evaluation of agency policies and procedures, especially as documented in the agency's written directive system; * correction of internal deficiencies and inefficiencies before they become public problems; * the opportunity to re-organize without the appearance of personal attacks The accreditation standards provide norms against which agency performance can be measured and monitored over time and provides the agency with a continuous flow of Commission distributed information about exemplary policies, procedures, and projects. It also provides objective measures to justify decisions related to budget requests and personnel policies and serves as a yardstick to measure the effectiveness of the agency's programs and services. The services provided are defined, and uniformity of service is assured. Accreditation streamlines operations, providing more consistency and more effective deployment of agency manpower.

For deputies, Accreditation requires that agency policies and procedures are in written form and are available to all agency personnel at all times. It assures employees that every aspect of the agency's personnel system is in accord with professional standards, and that the system is both fair and equitable. The agency is compelled to operate within specific guidelines. It is accountable to the Commission. The agency must stay in compliance with the standards set forth by the Commission in order to retain its accreditation. The morale of the agency is enhanced by increasing the employees' confidence in the effectiveness and efficiency of their own agency. Operations become more streamlined and consistent. Accreditation policies address officer safety issues and provide for adequate training and equipment of the officers. Accreditation is a coveted award that symbolizes professionalism, excellence, and competence. Employees will take pride in their agency, knowing that it represents the very best in law enforcement.

Lt. Harrelson gave the Gadsden County Sheriff's Office accreditation team vital information and insight on the accreditation process and support mechanisms that are in place to insure a successful process. One of the things that Lt. Harrelson outlined is the need for Sheriff Young to appoint a full-time accreditation manager. The accreditation manager will be tasked with getting the outlined areas in compliance at least 80% of the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation's required standards. Once theses standards are in place and made policy, Sheriff Young will sign a contract with the commission in which, an accreditation team must complete an on sight visit within two years of the contract signing. Harrelson stated that the process is a difficult one but can be obtain given the right support. Sheriff Young has expressed his desire and shown his commitment to see the Gadsden County Sheriff's Office become accredited and recognized statewide as one of the best Florida has to offer. Although he has yet to assign a full-time accreditation manager, the team expects that someone will be appointed in time to become certified during the July accreditation class in Orlando, Florida. Sheriff Young also sends and special thanks Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell and his staff for their support and pledge of continued support throughout this process. I want my deputies to know that this is a commitment to them to do that best that I can for them. The standards that the commission require us to comply with provides assurances in services and expectations that my employees and the community can depend on us to abide by, Sheriff Morris A. Young states.

Other area agencies that are accredited include Agricultural Law Enforcement, Alcohol, Beverage and Tobacco, Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Tallahassee Police Department, Wakulla County Sheriffs Office, Florida State University Police Department, Florida Department of Transportation (Motor Carrier Compliance)and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.