The Statesboro Police Department became a State Certified Agency in July of 2003. Certification is a progressive and time-proven way of helping law enforcement agencies calculate and improve their overall performances. The foundation of certification lies in the development of standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives. Participating agencies conduct a thorough self-analysis to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet these objectives. When the procedures are in place, a team of trained assessors assembled by the Georgia Police Accreditation Coalition verifies that applicable standards have been successfully implemented. The process culminates with a decision by a joint executive committee of the Georgia Police Accreditation Coalition that the agency has met the requirements for certification.

HOW WAS CERTIFICATION DEVELOPED?

In March 1990, representatives of the Georgia Sheriffs Association contacted the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to discuss the possibility of developing law enforcement agency standards. DCA contacted the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Georgia Municipal Association, the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia, and others to discuss their interest in and support for a standards development project.

In late 1996, the Georgia Police Accreditation Coalition (GPAC) assigned a committee, along with key members from the GPAC, to review and further develop the process to the point where it became a viable, workable program. From this collaborative effort, the Law Enforcement Certification Program, endorsed by the State of Georgia, was born.

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION

The benefits of certification include:

•  Confirmation that agency practices are consistent with progressive professional standards
•  Greater operational and administrative effectiveness
•  Enhanced understanding of agency policies and practices
•  Greater public confidence in the agency
•  Recognition in the field of outstanding achievement
•  Reduced liability potential
•  Greater governmental and community support

Maintenance of Certification

Certification is a responsibility of the Professional Standards Division of the Statesboro Police Department. Policy re-development is continual process to ensure that the practices of the Statesboro Police Department are within current legal guidelines and common excepted police practices.