July 27, 2007
 

On July 26, 2007 the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office received special recognition at the
Georgia Sheriff’s Association 2007 Summer Conference at Lake Lanier for achieving Agency
State Certification presented by the president of the Georgia Sheriff’s Association. The
Sheriff’s Office passed its assessment of June 15, 2007 making it one of only ten current
Sheriff’s Offices in the State of Georgia to achieve and maintain State Certification. This
assessment insures that the Standard Operating Policies and Procedures for the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office are in compliance with the Standards set forth by the Georgia Association of
Police Chiefs Agency Certification Program.

With the leadership and foresight of Sheriff Ira Edwards, Jr., and the commitment of the
entire Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, we have accomplished this goal and are working very hard
to continue to improve our Office for the service of our community. Special thanks and
recognition goes out to Certification Manager Sgt. Hayden Hodges, Volunteer Certification
Manager (Chaplain) Ray Fairman, Administrative Captain Eric Pozen, and everyone that worked
so hard to make this goal a reality.

Over the next five year period the Sheriff’s Office will continue to maintain and improve
upon these standards by keeping records and proofs in preparation for compliance reports and
assessment for re-certification.

WHAT IS CERTIFICATION?
Certification is a progressive and time-proven way of helping law enforcement agencies
calculate and improve their overall performance. The foundation of certification lies in the
promulgation of standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives. Participating
agencies conduct a thorough self-analysis to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet these objectives. When the procedures are in place, a team of trained assessors verifies that applicable standards have been successfully implemented. The process culminates with a decision by a joint executive committee that the agency has met the requirements for
certification.

Certification status represents a significant professional achievement. Certification
acknowledges the implementation of policies and procedures that are conceptually sound and
operationally effective.

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION

The benefits of certification include:

• Confirmation that agency practices are consistent with progressive professional
  standards

• Greater operational and administrative effectiveness

• Enhanced understanding of agency policies and practices

• Greater public confidence in the agency

• Recognition in the field of outstanding achievement

• Reduced liability potential

• Greater governmental and community support