Hamilton County, TN – Sheriff Austin Garrett is proud to announce the HCSO has been re-accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). This achievement was recently announced during the annual CALEA Conference in Jacksonville, Florida.

First accredited in 2013, the HCSO has remained committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, transparency, and accountability. The accreditation process involves a comprehensive self-evaluation, the review of over 460 policies and standards, and an assessment by independent experts and CALEA Commissioners.

Currently, the HCSO is one of only five Sheriff’s Offices in Tennessee to achieve CALEA accreditation and ensures our agency’s policies and procedures align with industry best practices, fostering trust and confidence within the community.

To retain CALEA accreditation, agencies must undergo a rigorous and comprehensive review every four years to ensure continued compliance with established policies and industry standards. This most recent re-accreditation award marks our fourth successful agency review with our next occurring in 2029.

“Achieving our recent re-accreditation from CALEA is a testament to the continued dedication and hard work of every member of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and reflects our commitment to upholding the highest standards and best practices in law enforcement nationwide. In addition to adhering to these standards, in 2023, I made the decision for the HCSO to be the first agency in our region to make all our policies and procedures available for the public to review on our website, further reinforcing our commitment to leading the way in transparency and accountability,” stated Sheriff Austin Garrett.

In addition to our agency’s re-accreditation, HCSO CALEA Accreditation Manager Miriam Laracuente successfully completed the CALEA Accreditation Manager Recertification Program. This program recognizes Accreditation Managers who demonstrate a strong understanding of the accreditation process, professional growth, and serve as valuable resources for their peers, highlighting their ongoing contributions to their agency and the CALEA Accreditation process.