The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is scheduled for an on-site assessment as part of a program to achieve accreditation by verifying it meets professional standards.

Accreditation is a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence. It is good for three years and then must be renewed. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office achieved accreditation in 1991, and re-accredited in 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2009.

Administered by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), the accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services.

Agency employees and the public are invited to offer comments on the Lee County Sheriff’s Office services and performance at a public information session on Monday, Aug. 20, at 6 p.m. The session will be conducted in the training room at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, 14750 Six Mile Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers.

If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session, but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, he or she may do so by telephone. The public may call (239) 477-1634 on Monday, Aug. 20, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the ability of the Sheriff’s Office to comply with CALEA’S standards. A copy of the standards is available for review at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. For more information call Tanya Tanner, Accreditation Manager, at (239) 477-1034.

Persons wishing to submit written comments regarding the ability of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia 20155 (703) 352-4225.

Source: Lee County Sheriff’s Office