On May 22, the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs awarded the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office re-accreditation for once again successfully achieving the stringent professional standards outlined in the WASPC Law Enforcement Accreditation Program.

The sheriff’s office originally was accredited in November 2009.

The process requires the department be reexamined every four years thereafter to ensure professional accreditation standards are maintained.

To achieve accreditation or re-accreditation, an agency must strictly comply with 132 professional standards for law enforcement, covering a wide range of topics from evidence storage and handling, adherence to best practices policy and procedures to training in use-of-force policies.

Only about one-third of Washington’s county sheriff’s offices are accredited.

The WASPC accreditation process is challenging and requires a total agency commitment. Sheriff Bill Benedict believes accreditation ensures that his office maintains the highest standards of professionalism and accountability in policing Clallam County.