Clallam County Corrections receives accreditation award

By Matthew Nash • November 29, 2017 1:30 am
Representatives with the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office gather for a photo after receiving accreditation for the Corrections Department at the WASPC awards banquet on Nov. 15. Those at the event include, from left, Corrections Sgt. Don Wenzl, Chief Corrections Deputy Wendy Peterson, Sheriff Bill Benedict, Chief Criminal Deputy Brian King, and Sheriff Brian Burnett (WASPC President). Submitted photo
Representatives with the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office gather for a photo after receiving accreditation for the Corrections Department at the WASPC awards banquet on Nov. 15. Those at the event include, from left, Corrections Sgt. Don Wenzl, Chief Corrections Deputy Wendy Peterson, Sheriff Bill Benedict, Chief Criminal Deputy Brian King, and Sheriff Brian Burnett (WASPC President). Submitted photo

The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) recognized eight agencies with Accreditation awards at their Fall Training Conference in Chelan Washington on Nov. 15, including The Clallam County Jail. It showed compliance with 148 jail standards and Clallam County and Kent are the first two agencies in Washington that are recognized as dual accredited by successfully completing the accreditation requirement for both Police Operations and Jail Management.

“Those law enforcement agencies that voluntarily elect to pursue WASPC Operations or Jail accreditation are not only seeking organizational excellence by meeting best practices, they are instilling higher levels of discipline and accountability throughout their agency,” said Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett, 2017-18 WASPC President.

“Accredited agencies are not only actively working to minimize risk through best practices they are moving ahead of non-accredited peer agencies by proving compliance with a rigorous set of standards that sends a powerful message to the community that inspires public confidence and trust.”

The WASPC Accreditation program started 30 years ago and many other state and national accrediting organizations have modeled their programs after WASPC. Currently there are 54 law enforcement agencies in Washington that are recognized with WASPC Accreditation; 40 of the agencies are city/municipal police agencies, nine are county sheriff offices, three are jails, and two are state agencies.

For more on the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, visit clallam.net/Sheriff, email sheriff@co.clallam.wa.us, or call (360) 417-2262.