CFA Standards Manual Fourth Edition - Okaloosa County Sheriff's ...

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENTIn 1993, Florida Statute 943.125 encouraged the Florida Sheriffs Association(FSA) and the Florida Police Chiefs Association (FPCA) to create anindependent voluntary law enforcement agency accreditation program. Themovement by law enforcement professionals to create accrediting bodies is inresponse to a need to ensure the public that quality services are delivered inaccordance with recognized and accepted standards.Representatives from FSA and FPCA developed an accreditation program,modeled after the national accreditation program, which requires compliance withmore than 275 professional standards designed specifically for Florida lawenforcement agencies. These standards are practical, easily understood, andachievable even for the smallest law enforcement agency. The program wasdesigned with consideration for the following goals:‣ to establish and maintain standards that represent current professionallaw enforcement practices;‣ to increase effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of law enforcementservices;‣ to establish standards that address and reduce liability for the agency andits members;‣ to establish standards that make an agency and its personnel accountableto the constituency they serve; and‣ to implement a Florida accreditation program that establishes standardswhich do not conflict with national standards.A feasibility study and status report was delivered to the Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives in November 1993. A joint FSA/FPCA Charter ReviewCommittee was then formed, headed by Sheriff Neil J. Perry of St. Johns County.This committee developed the charter for the Commission for Florida LawEnforcement Accreditation, Inc. and established the overall framework for itsoperation.1June 2012