The Professional Standards and Accreditation Office is a component of Support Services under the direction of Accreditation Managers, Miriam Monzon for Law Enforcement, and Tracey Case for Corrections.

Survey

Mission Perspective:

Effective and reasonable policies crafted through an informed and balanced process can protect officers, citizens, agencies, and local government from errant decisions making, tactics, litigation, and other harms. Through accreditation standards cover challenging issues, including biased policing, employee rights, deadly force, and associated data collection and analysis, job task analysis and recruiting, detainee and court-related services, transparency, and more. The value of a strong Professional Standards Office is essential for supporting of the agency’s mission.

Vision

In November 2013 the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office was awarded by CALEA (The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement) the certificate of Advanced Accreditation. Simply put, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office complies with (459) best practice standards set forth by a (21) person commission of the most brilliant minds in Law Enforcement to date. Since then, the agency has been reaccredited twice in 2016 and 2020, with no issues found.

CALEA Accreditation standards cover role responsibilities and responsibilities with other agencies; organization, management, and administration; personnel administration; law enforcement operations, operational support, and traffic enforcement; training; detainee and court-related services; and auxiliary and technical services.

CALEA® requires that agencies develop a comprehensive, well-thought-out, uniform set of written directives that rigorously look at each of the subjects listed above, make the necessary changes and standardize them with all the other accredited agencies in the United States.

Benefits of Accreditation

Greater accountability within the agency.
CALEA Standards give the Chief Executive Officer a proven management system of written directives, sound training, clearly defined lines of authority, and routine reports that support decision-making and resource allocation.

Reduced risk and liability exposure
Many agencies report a reduction in their liability insurance costs and/or reimbursement of accreditation fees.

Stronger defense against civil lawsuits
Accredited agencies are better able to defend themselves against civil lawsuits. Also, many agencies report a decline in legal actions against them, once they become accredited.

Staunch support from government officials
Accreditation provides objective evidence of an agency’s commitment to excellence in leadership, resource management, and service-delivery.Thus, government officials are more confident in the agency’s ability to operate efficiently and meet community needs.

Increased community advocacy
Accreditation embodies the precepts of community-oriented policing. It creates a forum in which law enforcement agencies and citizens work together to prevent and control challenges confronting law enforcement and provides clear direction about community expectations.
Source: www.calea.org

Miriam Laracuente

Accreditation Manager – CALEA
600 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
423-209-8917 (office)
miriamm@hcsheriff.gov

Tracey Case

Accreditation Manager – Corrections Division
Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center
7609 Standifer Gap Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421
423-209-7159 (office)
tlcase@hcsheriff.gov