CREST HAVEN – The Cape May County Sheriff’s Department was reaccredited by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police June 8.
On achieving that status, the department is among “less than 8 percent” of the state’s 185 accredited law enforcement agencies. The county is also among four in the state to have both its County Prosecutor’s Office, and Sheriff’s Department accredited, according to Sheriff Gary Schaffer.
Harry Delgado, the accreditation program manager for the state organization, spoke to freeholders June 27. He cited the benefits that accrue to the department and, ultimately, taxpayers. Then, he presented a certificate to Freeholder Vice-Director Leonard Desiderio, Schaffer, and Undersheriff Robert Nolan.
Such accreditation was first achieved by the department three years ago. That, too, was an achievement, according to Schaffer, since there are 587 law enforcement departments in the state.
Delgado said the department has 105 standards that were checked during the two-year process. Those standards include operating procedures by which officers perform their daily tasks.
The more uniform the standards, the better the public is served since there is a level of professionalism when they are met.
“The process does not get easier, it’s more challenging,” said Delgado of the work his unit performed checking the county agency.
“The process becomes one of maintaining compliance with the standards,” he continued.
“Accredited agencies fare better civilly than those not accredited,” Delgado continued.
On April 27 a team of assessors conducted an on-site assessment of the Sheriff’s Office after an earlier review of the 105 operating standards.
“Accreditation is a progressive and time-proven way of helping law enforcement agencies calculate and improve their overall performances,” said Schaffer.
He added that participating agencies conduct a thorough self-analysis to determine how their operations can be adopted to meet the objectives.
The accreditation will remain in effect until 2020.
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