On-site team access Monroe County Sheriff's Office for reaccreditation

A two-member team of assessors from a national credentialing agency is in Forsyth this week to examine the Monroe County Sheriff's Office for possible reaccreditation.

The team from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, in town through Wednesday, will review the agency's policy and procedures, management, operations and support services.

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office has been accredited with the commission since 1996. The agency has to comply with more than 400 standards in order to maintain accredited status, according to a release from the sheriff's office.

"As an administrator, it gives me a road map to professionalism to be able to operate the agency to national standards that are accepted practices," Sheriff John Cary Bittick said by phone. "It's been a big benefit for us from a liability perspective.

"Over the years we've been eliminated from some lawsuits because of policies we had in place and the way that they have been implemented solely because of things we were doing to meet those national standards," Bittick said. "And it also gives us a 15 percent reduction in our liability insurance rate."

While on site, the assessors are expected to review written materials, interview people and visit offices and other locations where compliance can be witnessed. The assessors are public safety officials from similarly sized out-of-state agencies.

"They'll be looking at all of our policies and procedures and looking to see if we're actually following those policies and procedures and then generally ... the assessors will have some recommendations on things that we're currently doing that we might be able do a little better."

Once the assessors complete their review, they report back to the accreditation commission. The commission then decides if the agency is to be granted accredited status.

Accreditation will transition in 2016 from a three-year cycle to a four-year cycle, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with the standards to which it was initially accredited.

"We've been a big supporter for many years now," Bittick said. "I was a CALEA commissioner for nine years back in the '90s, and my dad (former Monroe County Sheriff L. Cary Bittick) back in the '80s. So, we've been ... a big believer in the process."

The 21-member commission comprises 11 law enforcement professionals and 10 representatives from the public and private sectors. Commissioners serve three-year staggered terms.

Those wishing to offer written comments about the Monroe County Sheriff's Office's ability to meet the standards for accreditation may write to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Inc., 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia, 20155.

Staff writer Becky Purser contributed to this report. To contact Purser, call 256-9559, or find her on Twitter@becpurser.

This story was originally published December 7, 2015 at 10:28 PM with the headline "On-site team access Monroe County Sheriff's Office for reaccreditation ."