Public Comments Welcome Via Web Or Phone As Accreditation Assessment Begins At VSO

Date Added: July 12, 2021 4:09 pm

Andrew Gant
Office of Public Affairs & Media Relations

PUBLIC COMMENTS WELCOME VIA WEB OR PHONE AS ACCREDITATION ASSESSMENT BEGINS AT VSO

The Volusia Sheriff’s Office is once again participating in a public assessment process to achieve accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). This year’s assessment, a program to verify the agency meets professional standards, is occurring remotely via the web, and public comments are also accepted over the phone.

This month, a team of independent assessors will examine Volusia Sheriff’s Office policies, procedures, management, and operations. The public is invited to comment as part of a periodic, outside review designed to verify the department’s compliance with law enforcement performance standards.  The Sheriff’s Office has been internationally accredited since 1991. 

CALEA requires agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services.

As part of the assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments by calling 386-822-5052 on July 27, 2021, between the hours of 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Comments will be taken by the Assessment Team.

Agency employees and the members of the community are also invited to offer web-based comments to the Assessment Team between the hours of 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on July 27, 2021. This session can be accessed and attended by logging into: https://zoom.us/j/93279225623?pwd=anJ5cXdaWXJRSjhaOTNrd2tVTHBzdz09

Meeting ID: 932 7922 5623

Passcode: 063384

Telephone comments as well as web-based appearances at the public information session are limited to 5 minutes and must address the agency's ability to comply with CALEA’s standards. Copies of the standards are available for public inspection at the Sheriff’s Office on the fourth floor of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand. 

Anyone wishing to submit written comments about the Volusia Sheriff's Office ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia, 20155 or though the CALEA website, www.calea.org.  Written comments will also be accepted on behalf of the assessors by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, ATTN: Lieutenant Pat Leahy, Professional Compliance Unit, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, FL 32720.

Further information can be obtained by calling Lieutenant Pat Leahy or B.J. Rossetti in the Sheriff’s Office Professional Compliance Unit at 386-736-5961. 

VOLUSIA SHERIFF'S OFFICE

NOTICE UNDER THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (TITLE II)

In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), the Volusia Sheriff's Office (VSO) will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities.

Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity of VSO, should contact the office of the County of Volusia's ADA Title II Coordinator, Mr. James Corbett, at (386) 248-1760 as soon as possible but no later than 2 business days before the scheduled event or meeting. This paragraph shall likewise apply to written requests by a physically handicapped person needing a special accommodation to attend a public meeting in accordance with section 286.26, Florida Statutes.

A copy of the County of Volusia's Notice under the Americans with Disabilities Act (Title II) can be obtained at www.volusia.org/ada or requested from the County of Volusia's ADA (Title II) Coordinator at the telephone number listed above.