Under the direction and leadership of Sheriff April Staton, the City of Salem Sheriff’s Office has successfully received State Accreditation status.
The Sheriff’s Office fulfilled over 700 points of compliance with a perfect, zero file return during its on-site assessment. The files were thoroughly reviewed, and the process was observed by a team of assessors from the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission.
“Major Todd Clingenpeel manages the very detailed accreditation steps, and he is charged with the management of all of these files,” says Sheriff Staton. “It is because of his extraordinary due diligence and the professionalism of all of our staff members that we have achieved a perfect assessment. I am very proud of each and every one of them.”
These assessments are conducted every four years and the mission of the commission is to advance law enforcement professionalism through the establishment of professional standards and the administration of a formal mechanism by which Virginia agencies can be systematically measured, evaluated, and updated.
The Commission goals include:
1. To increase the effectiveness and efficiency of law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the delivery of services;
2. To promote cooperation and coordination among all components in the criminal justice system;
3. To ensure the appropriate level of training for law enforcement personnel;
4. To promote public confidence in law enforcement; and
5. To promote the professionalism of law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth of Virginia.