CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — The Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office has earned the Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation, making it one of only three sheriff’s offices in North Carolina to receive the distinction.
The achievement follows a rigorous two-year process involving a state-level review of the agency’s policies and operations.
To meet the requirements for accreditation, the sheriff’s office had to develop, implement, and document proof of 116 specific standards.
The state then audited these policies to ensure the agency is operating with a high level of transparency and safety.
Sheriff Van Shaw emphasized that the accreditation process is rooted in the department’s commitment to being open with the public.
“I think it’s important you know that you know, in the spirit of transparency, that people know what your policies are, what you’re doing, how you’re handling situations,” Shaw said.
The sheriff noted that the certification serves as a benchmark for the department’s performance.
“That gives a level of confidence in the citizens that there, that our agency is operating at the highest professional standard that we can. So I think it just provides confidence in those that are protecting and serving,” Shaw said.
The 116 standards covered various aspects of law enforcement, including emergency communications and 911 response. Shaw explained that the department had to verify it was prepared for system failures or emergencies.
“Well, in making sure that we have a backup location, should something happen in this location, go down, making sure we have a backup power supply, that we have access to criminal records, information, those types of things,” Shaw said.
A significant portion of the two-year project involved a comprehensive overhaul of the department’s evidence room.
Personnel hand-checked, organized, and accounted for 17,000 individual pieces of evidence. This effort resulted in a perfect audit from state inspectors.
An evidence technician with the sheriff’s office said the organization of these items is vital to the judicial process. “You need to know where everything is, because that’s the key to a case,” the technician said.
The accreditation is valid for three years, after which the office must repeat the process to prove it still meets the state standards.
Shaw said the department plans to pursue accreditation for the jail and the communications center next.
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