Sheriff's Office Receives WASPC Accreditation Award
Lewis County Sheriff’s Office received formal notice that they are an official WASPC (Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs) Accredited Agency on Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at a WASPC Conference held in Yakima. The accreditation process took the Sheriff’s Office over a year to complete.
Only fifty (approximately) agencies statewide have met the accreditation standards and have been awarded the accredited agency status. The process takes considerable time and effort and determination for an agency to complete.
“This formal Accreditation is something our office and the community should be very proud of. The men and women employed by this office continually strive to make a positive difference in our community. The accreditation is just another way to show members of this community how truly professional and progressive our office is. The formal accreditation does not change the standard of excellence I have always expected from members of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office but it does prove to the public that we are following the best practices and models set forth by Washington State Law Enforcement,” said Sheriff Steve Mansfield.
From the WASPC Website
What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is a way of helping institutions evaluate and improve their overall performance. The key to this successful system lies in the consensus of published and circulated standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives. There are two accreditation programs: Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) program and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) program. CALEA is a national program for all agencies and WASPC is just for Washington agencies. In 2001 WASPC entered into an alliance with CALEA and adopted their standards as WASPC's.
Washington's Program
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) Accreditation Program is intended to provide law enforcement agencies of this state an avenue for demonstrating that they meet commonly accepted standards for efficient and effective operation. The program is voluntary and is open to all general law enforcement agencies having primary responsibility for the enforcement of Washington criminal and traffic laws.
Benefits of Accreditation Include:
• To increase public confidence in the agency
• To increase credibility
• To provide a systemized agency self-assessment
• To broaden perspectives
• To intensify administrative and operational effectiveness
• To ensure recruitment, selection, and promotion processes are fair and equitable
• To strengthen understanding of agency policies and procedures by agency personnel
• To improve agency morale and pride
• To decrease susceptibility to litigation and costly civil court settlements
• To potentially reduce liability insurance costs
• To provide state and local recognition of professional competence
The Accreditation Process:
The Accreditation process occurs in seven phases: Interest and Contract; Self-Assessment; On-Site Assessment and Evaluation; Accreditation Commission Review; Executive Board Review; Award; and Re-Accreditation.
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