The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office maintained accreditation status for the eighth consecutive term by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA), it was announced recently.
The office received Excelsior Recognition for the fourth consecutive term. Additionally, the National Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) recently presented the Bittner Award to Sheriff David Shoar for his “significant contributions to public safety,” according to a release.
The CFA review process examines all aspects of an agency’s policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services to determine compliance with recognized standards of excellence. The Certificate of Reaccreditation and Excelsior Recognition were recently presented (virtually) to Shoar and the Accreditation Team by the CFA Commission.
The Sheriff’s Office was initially accredited by CFA in 1996. The Excelsior Recognition is the highest level of achievement within CFA.
According to the release, CFA assessment team leader LT Mark Buffington said: “It was the smoothest onsite I’ve done in 11 years.”
The Sheriff’s Office also garnered national accreditation status in 1991 from CALEA and has consistently maintained that status through each reaccreditation assessment. CALEA recently presented the Bittner Award to Shoar for “his contributions to the public safety profession and to CALEA.”
It is a true honor to receive this prestigious award on behalf of the men and women of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office,” Shoar said in the release. “It is their constant and relentless dedication to our community that make this award possible.”
The Egon Bittner Award is presented to those who have commanded a CALEA Accredited agency for 15 or more continuous years. Professor Egon Bittner contributed to CALEA’s early development in 1979-80 and was a CALEA Commissioner from 1981-88, during the critical developmental stage of the organization, according to the release.
