POLK COUNTY SHERIFF’S PHONE# 863-298-6200IF IN AN EMERGENCY DIAL 911 ABOUT NEWS & INVESTIGATIONS DETENTION PROGRAMS & SERVICES ANIMAL SERVICES ACCREDITATION ACCREDITATION ABOUT Accreditation The Accreditation Unit, within the Office of Professional Compliance under the direction of Director Gwinnell Brant, maintains the agency's national and international accreditations. The Unit is also responsible for reviewing and maintaining the agency’s written directives, for example, PCSO General Orders, Department Directives, Division Procedures, and all forms used by the agency. All publications and agency forms are extensively reviewed for compliance with all applicable accreditation standards before being disseminated to agency members. As of March 2017, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office is the only law enforcement agency, out of 17,985 nationwide, that has been awarded three Accreditation with Excellence awards by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) for Law Enforcement, Public Safety Communications, and for Polk State College’s Public Safety Training Academy. PCSO has also been designated as an Excelsior Agency by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) and the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission (FCAC) for achieving five successful re-accreditation awards. In March 2016, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office was awarded its tenth accreditation with the addition of the International Academy of Emergency Fire Dispatch (IAEFD). The Polk County Sheriff’s Office voluntarily participates in nine other accreditation and inspection processes to reinforce the agency’s commitment to meeting and exceeding standards of professional excellence. Maintaining accreditation programs exemplifies the agency’s dedication to continued professionalism by adhering to established standards that promote efficient use of resources and enhance public service delivery. Each accreditation process requires an in-depth review of every aspect of the agency’s organization, management, operations, and administration, which include: Establishment of agency goals and objectives, with provisions for periodic updating; Re-evaluating how agency resources are being utilized in accordance with agency goals, objectives, and mission assignments; Re-evaluating agency policies and procedures, especially as documented in the agency’s written directive system; Systematically conducting a review and assessment of the agency’s policies and procedures, and making necessary adjustments to ensure compliance with the accepted standards for each accreditation program; and Proof of compliance with the standards as determined by an assessment team sent by each accreditation commission to conduct an on-site review of the agency’s own policies, procedures, and practices. Please contact us with any questions regarding our policies or procedures. Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) This accreditation program recognizes professional achievements for addressing and complying with established standards developed by law enforcement practitioners covering a wide range of up-to-date law enforcement topics. Compliance with 484 standards is required for CALEA accreditation, the “gold star” for law enforcement. The agency was initially accredited in 1994 and has been successfully re-accredited every three years, receiving its most recent re-accreditation in November 2015. In addition to re-accreditation, the agency has received three Accreditation with Excellence awards from CALEA; one for law enforcement (November 2012), one for the public safety training academy (March 2013), and one for public safety communications (March 2014). The agency has also received a Certificate of Advanced Meritorious Accreditation in recognition for having been CALEA accredited for 23 continuous years. READ MORE Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. (CFA) Developed by the Florida Sheriffs Association and the Florida Police Chiefs Association, this law enforcement accreditation process requires compliance with professional standards designed specifically for Florida law enforcement agencies. Since the Florida accreditation program recognizes those agencies that are currently accredited by CALEA, the agency is only required to comply with 84 standards for the CFA program. The agency was awarded its initial accreditation in 1998 and subsequently re-accredited every three years. CFA completed an on-site assessment in March 2016 and recommended PCSO for re-accreditation. PCSO was awarded re-accreditation with CFA and maintained its Excelsior Agency award in June 2016. READ MORE Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission, Inc. (FCAC) This accreditation program addresses every aspect of the detention process: admission, classification, housing, sanitation, food service, security, training, and medical. The Florida Model Jail Standards provide the primary basis for compliance with 256 accreditation standards. PCSO earned its initial accreditation in 2000 and consistently maintained accreditation every three years through September 2015, earning 100% compliance in both applicable mandatory standards and non-mandatory standards. In October 2015, PCSO was recognized as an Excelsior Agency by FCAC for achieving five successful re-accreditation awards. READ MORE National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) The NCCHC accreditation program provides standards to address the topics of medical and mental health care in prisons, jails, and juvenile confinement facilities. Compliance with 67 standards including the general areas of care and treatment, health records, administration, personnel, and medical-legal issues. This accreditation was received in 1985 and consistently maintained through the last on-site review in 2015. READ MORE National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc. (NIGP) The Polk County Sheriff’s Office was the first law enforcement agency in the nation to obtain NIGP accreditation. This accreditation program recognizes those agencies that lead with best practices in the public procurement process. The agency’s compliance with a minimum of 100 out of 132 performance standards demonstrates quality, efficiency, and effectiveness in government purchasing. In March 2017, the agency was awarded its fourth consecutive NIGP accreditation since the initial accreditation, awarded in March 2002. At this time, PCSO was also awarded Outstanding Agency Accreditation Achievement Award. READ MORE Public Safety Communications Accreditation Program (PSCA) This accreditation program for public safety agencies provides the best professional requirements and practices for public safety communications. This process requires compliance with 212 applicable standards as part of the internal review and assessment of our public safety communications functions. The agency was awarded its initial accreditation in 2002 and was successfully re-accredited every three years by the CALEA Commission, the most recent being in March 2017 with “Excellence.” READ MORE Public Safety Training Academy Accreditation Program (PSTAA) This accreditation program requires criminal justice training academies to comply with 162 standards in the areas of policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services. The Kenneth C. Thompson Institute of Public Safety, a joint partnership between our agency, area law enforcement agencies, and Polk State College, was the first community college training academy in the nation to earn this accreditation. The agency was awarded this accreditation in March 2007 and was re-accredited every three years, the most recent being in 2016 with “Excellence.” READ MORE International Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch (IAEMD) Agencies desiring recognition as an Accredited Center of Excellence are required to complete a self-assessment study based on the 20 points of accreditation requirements established by the academy. The academy’s accreditation process and the associated Advanced Medical Priority Dispatch Systems (MPDS) protocols are based on generally accepted medical dispatch practice standards as published and promulgated by the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the American Medical Association (AMA), among others. The Emergency Communications Center was initially accredited in 2010 and most recently re-accredited in 2015. READ MORE Florida Telecommunications Accreditation Commission (FLA-TAC) The Florida Telecommunications Accreditation Commission establishes standards, oversees an accreditation program, and awards accreditation to compliant Florida Communications Centers in the law enforcement, fire rescue, and emergency medical services disciplines. Telecommunications centers are expected to complete self-assessment within two years of submission in order to review policies, procedures, training, and operating practices to ensure compliance with applicable standards. Upon completion of the self-assessment phase, the Commission completes an on-site assessment for review of the Center’s accreditation efforts. In January 2015, the agency successfully completed the on-site assessment by meeting the 116 standards, and was accredited in February 2015. READ MORE International Academy of Emergency Fire Dispatch (IAEFD) The International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) has also established a standard of excellence for agencies to maximize the efficiency of the emergency fire dispatch system. This standard of excellence is based on the implementation and maintenance of fire priority dispatch system protocols established by the International Academy of Emergency Fire Dispatch. In early 2016, the Emergency Communications Center completed the self-assessment required for emergency fire dispatch accreditation. In March 2016, official notification was received that the Emergency Communications Center successfully met the accreditation requirements and was recognized as an Accredited Center of Excellence for emergency fire dispatch. READ MORE QUICK LINKS Public Records Request Jail Inquiry Found Animals Scam Reporting Career Opportunities Contact Us Newsletter Signup Polk Sheriff's Charities SUPPORT News & Investigations Detention Programs & Services CONTACT INFO Sheriff Grady Judd ▪ Polk County Sheriff's Office 1891 Jim Keene Blvd Winter Haven, FL 33880 / Directions 863-298-6200 / 1-800-226-0344 Copyright © 2018 Polk County Sheriff's Office. All rights reserved. This information is made available to the public and law enforcement in the interest of public safety. Any unauthorized use of this information is forbidden and subject to criminal prosecution.