Verification by the team that the Sheriff’s Office meets the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to retain accreditation – a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence, Sheriff Rambosk said. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office was originally accredited by CALEA in November, 1994, and reaccredited in 1999, 2002, 2005, and again in 2008.
As a part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session set for 7 p.m. Monday, July 25. The session will be conducted in the Professional Development Center, 615 3rd Ave. South, on the Gulfview Middle School campus.
If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone. The public may call 530-5686 on July 24 between 2 and 4 p.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’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Sheriff’s Office Headquarters, Building J 2nd floor, in the Collier County Complex, at the Duty Officer’s station.
Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Collier County Sheriff’s Office’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia 20155.
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office will comply with more than 400 standards to be reaccredited, Sheriff Rambosk said. Sheriff Rambosk also stated, “Completing the re-accreditation process demonstrates our agency’s commitment to excellence and our obligation to continually strive to serve the community in the most efficient, effective, and professional manner possible.”
The Accreditation Manager for the Collier County Sheriff’s Office is Sgt. Nicole Minick. She said the assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar but out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other locations where compliance can be witnessed. The assessors are Major Patricia Garrison, of the Charleston County, SC Sheriff’s Office as the team leader, and Deputy Chief Donald Gasparini of the Winnebago County, IL Sheriff’s Office. Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted re-accreditation status, Sgt. Minick said.
Accreditation is for three years, during which the Sheriff’s Office must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with those standards under which it was re-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, Va. 20155; or call (800) 368-3757.
