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Hernando Sheriff’s Office Receives Accreditation

Accreditation | Hernando Sheriff | Award

The HCSO was awarded a certificate of accreditation from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation.

HERNANDO COUNTY – The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office was recently awarded a certificate of accreditation from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation.

The accreditation process measured the HCSO’s compliance with 263 state-recognized standards that are deemed necessary to maintain a properly functioning and fully accountable sheriff’s office.

“The accreditation assessors reviewed dozens and dozens of standards to ensure our agency’s policies employ best practices,” Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis said. “They also checked to make sure that we are documenting that our daily practices are in line with those policies.”

Although it was a very stressful and labor intensive task, Nienhuis said, “the process makes the agency better and gives the public confidence that the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and its people are among the best in the profession.”

The assessment 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 culmination of this assessment showed the HCSO was in full compliance with 232 of the standards, while the remaining 31 were not applicable to HCSO daily operations.

These standards ensure that HCSO employees are following the best practices for law enforcement agencies as determined by the state.

The assessment team noted in their final report that the agency’s employees articulated a high-degree of knowledge as it related to their individual areas of responsibility.

Assessors also noted that all HCSO policies and procedures were comprehensive and well written.In addition, assessors wrote members of the agency were helpful and confirmed through interviews and observations the agency’s policies are cohesive with the way they conduct business.

The Commission meets three times per year to oversee the state’s accreditation program and to officially accredit agencies that have passed the review process.

Lisa Iannone, HCSO accreditation manager, said, “Achieving this reaccreditation is recognition that our agency is diligently providing the highest quality of service to the community that we serve. It could not have been accomplished without the hard work and dedication of the every member of the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.”

For information about the Hernando Sheriff’s Office, go to hernandosheriff.org.

Hernando Sheriff | Accreditation | Al Nienhuis | Tampa Bay News | TB Reporter

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