Accreditation
The Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office is among
an elite group of law enforcement agencies having earned accreditation
by the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission. Of
the more than 360 law enforcement agencies in Virginia, the Sheriff’s
Office is among only 47 having earned the distinction. Chesterfield County
has also become the third Virginia jurisdiction where both the Police
Department and Sheriff’s Office are accredited. Chesterfield
shares this distinction with Albemarle and Fairfax counties. The accreditation
is considered perhaps the best measure of professionalism among law enforcement
agencies.
The Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission
consists of representatives of the Virginia Sheriff’s Association,
Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police and the Virginia Department of
Criminal Justice Services. It has established 215 professional standards
by which law enforcement agencies are measured. In providing the accreditation
program, the commission’s goals are:
- To increase the effectiveness and efficiency of services provided
by law enforcement agencies
- To promote cooperation among agencies
- To ensure proper training for law enforcement personnel
- To promote public confidence in law enforcement
Accreditation sets the standards by which an agency must continue to
operate in order to achieve re-accreditation. These professional standards
must become a routine way of conducting business in the Chesterfield County
Sheriff’s Office. There are on-going reviews, with re-accreditation
occurring every four years.
For more information contact 804-768-7461.
(Article Contributed by Dave Goode, Chesterfield
County Public
Affairs Department).
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