Accreditation
The Salem City Sheriff's Office is now among an elite group of law enforcement agencies having earned accreditation through the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission (VLEPSC). Of the more than
360 law enforcement agencies in Virginia, only
78 of them have achieved this distinction. Also, the City of Salem is the first City in Virginia to have both of their law enforcement
agencies, Sheriff's Office and Police Department, accredited through VLEPSC (link opens in new window).
The Office was initially accredited
in February 2005. In February
2009 a milestone was reached when
the Salem City Sheriff's Office was
reaccredited after having
accomplished a perfect score during
the on-site assessment phase.
Accreditation is considered the ultimate measure in professionalism among law enforcement agencies. The Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission
is governed by an executive board
composed of six Sheriff's selected
by the Virginia Sheriff's
Association and six Chief's selected
by the Virginia Association of
Chief's of Police. The program
of accreditation promulgates a
comprehensive set of standards that
require compliance with over 700
points of professional practice.
The standards are recognized as a
"best practices" protocol for any
law enforcement agency. In
providing the accreditation program,
the Commission's goals are:
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To promote public confidence
in law enforcement and
consistency in its application.
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To promote cooperation among agencies.
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To ensure proper training for law enforcement personnel.
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To increase the effectiveness and efficiency of services provided by law enforcement.
