Sheriff's accreditation up for renewal, public input invited

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. will be in Morgan City the first week in April to examine all aspects of the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office policy and procedures, management, operations and support services.
As part of the on-site assessment, SMPSO employees and members of the St. Mary Parish community are invited to voice their opinions and comment at a public information session on Tuesday, April 3, at 6 p.m. in the squad room on the fourth floor of the St. Mary Parish Courthouse located at 500 Main St., Franklin.
Members of the community who are unable to attend the public information session may provide comments to the assessment team by telephone between the hours of 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on April 3. Individuals may submit comments by calling 985-498-6229.
Both telephone comments and comments made in person at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the SMPSO’s ability to comply with CALEA standards.
Written comments regarding the SMPSO’s ability to meet the accreditation standards should be addressed to:
Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc.,
13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320
Gainsville, Virginia 20155.
CALEA accreditation is a voluntary process undertaken to ensure that the SMPSO meets the commission’s state of the art standards.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Scott Anslum said, “The systematic process of review and assessment of our agency’s policies and procedures by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies has brought a new level of professional service and transparency to the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office. The feedback from the public about their interactions with deputies shows the positive impact accreditation has made on this department and the community.”
The benefits of working in concert with CALEA are purported by Anslum to be: comprehensive, well thought-out written directives, the strengthening of agency accountability, reports and analysis to make informed management decisions, improved relationship with the community, limited liability and risk exposure and assistance in the sheriff’s office’s pursuit of excellence.
To achieve CALEA accreditation the SMPSO must comply with 189 standards. The assessment team is composed of law enforcement personnel from similar but out-of-state agencies. Assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other locations where compliance can be witnessed.
A copy of the standards is available at the public information office of the SMPSO office at 1455 Railroad Avenue, Morgan City, and at the SMPSO office on the fourth floor of the St. Mary Parish Courthouse at 500 Main St. in Franklin, LA.
The contact, Detective Lieutenant Traci Landry, can be reached by telephone at 985-354-0714.
Members of the assessment team are Roy Liddicott, Chief, Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Tanya Perry, Lieutenant, Conyers Police Department, Conyers, Georgia.
Once assessors complete their review of the agency, they will submit their report to the commission. The commission will then decide if the SMPSO is to be reaccredited. Accreditation is for four years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with the standards under which the agency was initially accredited.
For more information on CALEA, call (703) 352-4225, or visit www.calea.org.