Accreditation team invites public comments

SEBRING -- A team of assessors from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) will arrive in Sebring on April 18 – 20, 2023 to examine all aspects of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services. Highlands County Sheriff’s Office has to comply with numerous standards in order to receive accredited status. Many of the standards are critical to life, health, safety issues, and best practices.

As part of the assessment, agency members and the general public are invited to offer comments to the assessment team. A copy of the standards manual is available on the CFA website at www.flaccreditation.org under the standards tab.

For more information regarding CFA or for persons wishing to offer written comments about the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office ability to meet the standards of accreditation, please send correspondence to: CFA, P.O. Box 1489, Tallahassee, Florida, 32302, or email to flaccreditation@fdle.state.fl.us.

Jeannine West, Accreditation Manager for the Sheriff's Office, explained “the assessment team is comprised of law enforcement practitioners from similar law enforcement agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview Sheriff’s Office members, and visit all Sheriff’s Office facilities, where compliance can be witnessed firsthand.” The CFA Assessment Team assigned for this review is: Frank Ruggiero from Tarpon Springs Police Department, Henry Cabrera from Coconut Creek Police Department and Erendira Muralles from Doral Police Department.

Once the Commissions’ assessors complete their review of the Sheriff’s Office, a report of their findings will be delivered back to the Commission staff. The full Commission will then determine if the Sheriff’s Office has met the standards and should receive reaccreditation status. “Verification by this team of professionals that the Highlands County Sheriff's Office meets the Commission’s standards is part of our voluntary commitment to maintain accreditation; the accreditation program has long been recognized as a means of maintaining the highest standards of professionalism”, Sheriff Blackman said.