Accreditation
 The Salem City Sheriff's Office is now among an elite group of law enforcement agencies having earned accreditation through the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission (VLEPSC). Of the more than 400 law enforcement agencies in Virginia, only about 70 of them have achieved this distinction. Also, the City of Salem is the first City in Virginia to have both of their law enforcement entities, Sheriff's Office and Police Department, accredited through VLEPSC (link opens in new window).
Accreditation is considered the ultimate measure in professionalism among law enforcement agencies. The Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission consists of members of the Virginia Sheriff's Association, Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. It has established 187 professional standards by which law enforcement agencies are measured. In providing the accreditation program, the Commission's goals are:
- To promote public confidence in law enforcement.
- To promote cooperation among agencies.
- To ensure proper training for law enforcement personnel.
- To increase the effectiveness and efficiency of services provided by law enforcement.
In January 2001, the Sheriff's Office embarked on this ambitious project of becoming accredited through VLEPSC. Four years of hard work and dedication culminated in February 2005 when the Office was formally assessed by VLEPSC and subsequently awarded official accredited status on May 26, 2005.
Accreditation sets the standards by which an agency must continue to operate in order to retain their accredited status. These professional standards must become a routine way of conducting Sheriff's Office business. There are on-going reviews, with re-accreditation scheduled every four years.
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