• By F. Brad Stanley
• Posted Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Accreditation Assessment Team Invites Public Comment

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®) will be present during the period May 8-11, 2010 to examine all aspects of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services. The assessment team consists of Chief of Police Daniel Boring (Ret.) as Team Leader and Lieutenant Geoffry Ice of the Connecticut State Police (Ret.) as Team Member.

Sheriff Schatzman states through verification by the assessment team, that the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office meets the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards as part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation – a highly prized recognition of public safety professional excellence. Sheriff Schatzman is of the opinion that the accreditation process and compliance with national and internationally recognized CALEA law enforcement standards will assist the agency in providing the very best possible law enforcement services to the citizens of Forsyth County.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on May 10th beginning at 6:00 pm. The session will be conducted in the Forsyth County Government Center, 4th Floor Multi-Purpose Room (Room A), located at 201 N. Chestnut Street in downtown Winston-Salem.

If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone on May 10th from 1:00 until 3:00 pm. The public may call the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office at (336) 917-7001 and ask for extension 6112 to speak to the assessors.

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 Standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office from the Sheriff’s Accreditation Manager Lewis Moore at (336) 917-7405.

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write:
Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®)
10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100,
Fairfax, Virginia 22030-2215

The CALEA Program Manager for the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office is Ms. Karen Shephard. She stated the assessment team is composed of public safety practitioners from similar, but out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written material, interview individuals, and visit offices and other locations where compliance can be witnessed and verified. CALEA has established 463 standards which must be addressed by the agency in order to gain accredited status. Once the CALEA 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 accredited status according to Program Manager Shephard.

Accreditation is for three years, during which the agency must submit annual reports and provide proof attesting to continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

Additional information regarding the Commission Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. may be obtained by writing the Commission at 10302 Eaton Place, Suit 100, Fairfax, Virginia 22030; or call (800) 368-3757 or (703) 352-4225 or email calea@calea.org.