Okaloosa Sheriff’s Office seeks to maintain accreditation

OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. — A team of assessors from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) is set to examine all aspects of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office’s (OCSO) policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services as part of the OCSO’s reaccreditation process.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office must comply with numerous standards to maintain its accredited status. The agency was first accredited in 2010.

Many of the accreditation standards are critical to life, health, safety issues, and best practices.

As part of the assessment, agency members and the public are invited to offer comments to the assessment team. A copy of the standards manual is available on the CFA website at www.flaccreditation.org under the standards tab.

For more information regarding CFA or for persons wishing to offer written comments about the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office’s ability to meet the standards of accreditation, please send correspondence to: CFA, P.O. Box 1489, Tallahassee, Florida, 32302 or email to flaccreditation@fdle.state.fl.us.

The accreditation program manager for the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is Inspector Robert Wagner.

Wagner said the assessment team is composed of assessors from similar agencies.

The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other areas where compliance can be observed.

Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report to the full Commission, which then determines if the agency is to receive accredited or reaccredited status, according to the OCSO.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office’s accreditation is valid for three years.

Verification by the team that the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office meets the Commission’s standards is part of a voluntary process to gain or maintain accreditation, a highly prized recognition of professional excellence, Wagner said.

The team of assessors will arrive on April 19.