Law Enforcement Agencies in Georgia

There are two main types of law enforcement agencies in Georgia: sheriff's offices and police departments. According to the Georgia constitution, the sheriff of each county is elected for four-year terms and is the chief law enforcement officer in that county. Some metropolitan counties in Georgia have decided to form separate police departments in order to help the sheriff fulfill his or her duties. In these cases, the sheriff is normally responsible for court duties and police departments fulfill the county's law enforcement needs.

Georgia Law Enforcement Certification

Both sheriff's offices and police departments can benefit from obtaining certification from the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. Certification helps law enforcement agencies achieve higher standards through a process of self-analysis and external, objective assessment. All certified law enforcement agencies must meet certain standards to prove that they are effective and professional. Certification is a worthy achievement for any agency.

The Certification Process for Georgia Law Enforcement Agencies

There are six steps involved in the certification process: application, policy development, assessment, joint committee review, awards ceremony, and monitoring compliance.

1.      Application - Any agency wishing to receive certification may obtain an application package from the director of the certification program. The agency must then fill out this application, which includes an "Agency Participation Agreement" that describes what the agency must do during the certification process.

 

2.      Policy Development - During this phase of certification agencies must provide a self-analysis of their working standards. They must document their compliance with existing standards and come up with ways to meet standards that they do not yet comply with. Trained law enforcement assessors are available for technical assistance.

 

3.      Assessment - When an agency believes they have met all of the program's requirements, they should contact the program director. A team of experienced assessors will then inspect the agency to ensure that it is qualified for certification.

 

4.      Joint Committee Review - After assessment, the lead assessor presents his or her team's findings to the Joint Review Committee. The Committee then decides whether or not to grant certification. If certification is granted, it is valid for five years. If certification is denied, the Joint Review Committee will provide the agency with information on what it must improve in order to receive certification.

 

5.      Awards ceremony - The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police will honor agencies that become certified at their summer or winter conference.

 

6.      Monitoring Compliance - Certified agencies must submit an annual report that verifies their continued compliance with certification standards. Any significant deviation from these standards must be documented.

 

Certified Law Enforcement Agencies in Georgia

 

As of 2003, there are 57 certified law enforcement agencies in the state of Georgia. Thirty-seven of those agencies are police departments, 9 are sheriff's departments, 7 are university police departments, and 4 are miscellaneous agencies.

 

Contact the Law Enforcement Certification Program Director

Richard Darby, Director of the State Certification Program

Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police
P. O. Box 450921
Atlanta, Georgia 31145

 

Phone:

 

(770) 498-5650 or (770) 414-6494

 

Email:

 

certification@mindspring.com