PORT HADLOCK — The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has earned accreditation through the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.
“This prestigious recognition affirms that (Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office) is operating in alignment with the highest professional standards and best practices in law enforcement,” a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) press release said.
Roughly 25 percent of Washington state’s law enforcement agencies, 80 with the inclusion of JCSO, have received the accreditation, the release said.
“This is more than a certificate,” said Sheriff Andy Pernsteiner. “It is a symbol of our unwavering commitment to serve Jefferson County with excellence, professionalism and integrity.”
The accreditation process began in 2017, the release said.
“(It) represents years of meticulous work, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the Sheriff’s Office,” the release said.
The JCSO release said Accreditation Manager Ben Stamper’s leadership was essential to the accreditation process.
“Ben’s tireless commitment and attention to detail made this milestone possible,” Pernsteiner said. “We are deeply grateful for his efforts and for the dedication of every member of our team.”
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) accreditation program evaluates agencies on a comprehensive set of standards, including administration, operations and personnel practices, the release said.
JCSO was already meeting many of the standards required to receive WASPC accreditation standards, Pernsteiner said.
“We had to change our purchase order policy,” he said. “We never really had one in effect before. Little things like that.”
Pernsteiner said that the accreditation requirements were numerous. Naming a few, WASCP requires certain procedures for records storage and purging, he said. It requires annual evaluations of all employees and quarterly evaluations of probationary employees, he added.
“They came here and walked through our office and checked a couple of random files, to make sure we were actually following that practice, which we were,” Pernsteiner said.
WASPC outlines procedures for handling of evidence.
“The way that we weigh drugs when they’re coming or going in and out of our vault,” Pernsteiner explained, as an example. “It isn’t that we were doing it wrong, there’s just different ways to do things. There’s a certain way that WASPC wants things done.”
Accreditation serves the purpose of assuring the public that the JCSO is operating with transparency, accountability and efficiency, the release said.
“As the JCSO continues to grow and evolve, this accreditation serves as a foundation for ongoing excellence in public safety and community service,” the release said.
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can reached by email at elijah.sussman@sequimgazette.com
