Information and Achievement

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office(PCSO) is in the one percent of sheriff's offices nationwide to have received the Triple Crown Award for accreditation. This prestigious award recognizes agencies that have achieved accreditation from three separate accreditation agencies: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), the American Correctional Association (ACA), and the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare (NCCHC). Additionally, the agency is accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) for the forensic inspection activities performed by the AFIS Division (Latent Unit), Forensic Sciences Division, and the Forensic Imaging Unit; and by the Airborne Public Safety Association (APSA) for activities performed by the Flight Unit.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office was first accredited by CALEA in 1988, ACA in 1984, NCCHC in 1987, and ANAB and APSA in 2019, and continues to maintain these accreditations.

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) was established in 1979 as an independent accrediting authority by four law enforcement associations: the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, National Sheriffs’ Association, and the Police Executive Research Forum. Its accreditation program requires agencies to comply with the highest standards in four areas: policy and procedures, administration, operation, and support services. PCSO has maintained CALEA accreditation since 1988.

The American Correctional Association (ACA) was founded in 1870 as the National Prison Association, changing to the American Correctional Association in 1954 to reflect their “expanding philosophy of corrections and its increasingly important role within the community and society.” The ACA utilizes the principles of humanity, justice, protection, opportunity, knowledge, competence, and accountability to develop sound corrections practices. PCSO has maintained ACA accreditation since 1984.

The National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) originated in the early 1970s as a result of a study by the American Medical Association, which found health care in jails to be inadequate, disorganized, and lacking in national standards. NCCHC was established by professionals from the health, legal, and correctional arenas to provide standards for prisons, jails, and juvenile confinement facilities. These standards cover care and treatment, health records, administration, personnel, and medical-legal issues. PCSO has maintained NCCHC accreditation since 1987.

The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) is the largest multidisciplinary accreditation body in North America, providing accreditation services to both public and private sector organizations and is owned by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). ANAB is now the longest established provider of ISO-based accreditation standards for forensic agencies in the United States. ANAB began providing forensic accreditation in 1982, and in 2016, ANAB merged its existing forensic operations with those of ASCLAD/LAB. PCSO has maintained ANAB accreditation since 2019.

The Airborne Public Safety Accreditation Commission (APSAC) is an entity within the Airborne Public Safety Association (APSA) that provides, develops, and maintains standards of accreditation for operations performed by public safety aviation units and offers auditing, consulting, and accreditation services to public safety aviation operations in accordance with those standards. The accreditation services provided are intended not only as a means of evaluation, but also to encourage safe, efficient, and accident-free aviation operations in support of public safety missions. The overall program is designed to objectively evaluate and certify a unit’s compliance with the standards as developed by APSAC and adopted by APSA as best practice. PCSO has maintained ASPAC accreditation since 2019.

Benefits to the Community

The agency’s administrative and operational policies and procedures are in accordance with a body of nationally certified and recognized professional standards.
Assurance that every aspect of the agency’s personnel system is in accordance with professional standards.
International recognition of professional excellence.
Assures the community the agency is committed to providing the highest quality services possible and that the policies and procedures are not only effective and responsive, but are also fair and equitable.
Enhances community understanding, cooperation, and support of the agency and its role in the community.
Liability litigation is deterred.
State-of-the-art, impartial guidelines for evaluation and change when necessary.
Ongoing evaluation of whether agency resources are being utilized in the best interest of its mission assignment.
Provides neutral guidelines for developing strong budget justifications, especially for personnel and their allocation across function and activities.
Promotes standardization of policies, increasing efficiency in handling calls for assistance, referrals, and joint investigations with other agencies.
Promotes relationships with prosecutors, courts, correctional agencies, and state and local government officials.
Adds to employee confidence and assures they are part of an agency which is nationally recognized as being a provider of truly professional services.

For more information about the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office accreditations, please contact:

Lieutenant Tom Nestor
Policy Development and Accreditation Division Manager
727-582-6391

Achieving national recognition for law enforcement professionalism is just another way the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is “Leading The Way For A Safer Pinellas.”