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A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), will arrive October 28th to examine all aspects of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office’s policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services, Sheriff Larry R. Ashley announced today. Verification by the team that the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office meets the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to maintain accreditation—a highly prized recognition of public safety professional excellence, Sheriff Ashley said. As part of the assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Tuesday, October 29th at 5:30 p.m. The session will be conducted in the OCSO Headquarters Training Room located at 50 2nd Street, Shalimar, FL.
If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone. The public may call (850) 609-2005 on Thursday, October 30th between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA Standards. A copy of the standards is available for review at the OCSO Headquarters Building, 50 2nd Street, Shalimar, FL. Local contact is Inspector Ron Kimble, 651-7410.
Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA®), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has to comply with 417 standards in order to maintain accredited status, Sheriff Ashley said. Accreditation is important to the agency and community because it validates the Sheriff’s Office’s ability to prevent and control crime through more effective and efficient delivery of law enforcement services to the community it serves.
Accreditation is for four years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.
For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. please write the Commission at 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155; or call (703) 352-4225 or email calea@calea.org.
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