Reso 2022-3325 - Laserfiche WebLink

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FLORIDA ACCREDITATION Accreditation is a progressive and contemporary way of helping police agencies evaluate and improve their overall performance. It has long been recognized as a means of maintaining the highest standards of professionalism. Accreditation is the certification by an independent reviewing authority that an entity has met specific requirements and prescribed standards. Schools, universities, and hospitals are some of the most well-known organizations that are required to maintain accreditation. BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY Accreditation increases the law enforcement agency's ability to prevent and control crime through more effective and efficient delivery of law enforcement services to the community it serves. Accreditation enhances community understanding of the law enforcement agency and its role in the community as well as its goals and objectives. Citizen confidence in the policies and practices of the agency is increased. Accreditation, in conjunction with the philosophy of community policing, commits the agency to a broad range of programs (such as crime prevention) that directly benefit the public. Accreditation creates a forum in which police and citizens work together to control and prevent crime. This partnership will help citizens to understand the challenges that confront law enforcement. Law enforcement will, in turn, receive clear direction from the community about its expectations. Thus, a common set of goals and objectives will be arrived at and implemented. BENEFITS TO THE AGENCY CEO Increases cooperation and coordination with other law enforcement agencies and other branches of the criminal justice system. The accreditation process requires an in-depth review of every aspect of the agency's organization, management, operations, and administration to include: • Establishment of agency goals and objectives with provisions for periodic updating. • Re-evaluation of whether agency resources are being used in accord with agency goals, objectives, and mission. • Re-evaluation of agency policies and procedures, especially as documented in the agency's written directive system. • Correction of internal deficiencies and inefficiencies before they become public problems. • The opportunity to re -organize without the appearance of personal attacks. The accreditation standards provide norms against which agency performance can be measured and monitored over time and provides the agency with a continuous flow of Commission distributed information about exemplary policies, procedures, and projects. 264