It's that time of year again — accreditation time, that is.
The Alachua County Sheriff's Office will be assessed starting on Dec. 6 in order to become reaccredited through a program implemented by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc.
ASO was first accredited in 1997, and this will be its fifth time undergoing the reaccreditation process for this particular program, according to an ASO news release. To achieve accreditation, agencies must fulfill 262 standards.
The public has a chance to comment on ASO's performance as part of the evaluation, and a copy of the accreditation standards is available at ASO's Planning, Policy and Accreditation Bureau. The division is housed at the Department of the Jail, which is located at 3333 NE 39th Ave. in Gainesville.
To submit comments, people can send them to the accreditation commission at P.O. Box 1489, Tallahassee, Fla., 32302, according to the news release.
Residents can call Kathy Pascucci, accreditation manager, at 352-384-3030 to learn more.
The assessment is done by a three-person team, which is made up of Capt. Tom Lewis of the Punta Gorda Police Department as team leader, in addition to team members Capt. Audrey Smith of the Tallahassee Police Department and Chief Ronald Lendvay of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, according to the news release.
If ASO is reaccredited, that status will last for three years before the agency must undergo the process again. Accredited departments submit annual reports that demonstrate they are continuing to operate according to the accreditation standards.
To view the ASO news release in detail, visit this webpage and download the PDF titled "Accreditation Team Invites Public Comment."
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