Public Comment Sought For Sheriff's Office Accreditation
July 8, 2022
Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com
The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office is pursuing accreditation and inviting public comment.
A team of assessors from the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police (MACP) will arrive on July 25th to examine all aspects of the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services.
Sheriff Mike Murphy said verification by the team that the Office meets the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission’s “best practice” standards is part of a voluntary process to achieve accreditation – “a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence”.
The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office must comply with 105 standards in order to achieve accredited status.
Sheriff Murphy added that “Accreditation results in greater accountability within the agency, reduced risk and liability exposure, stronger defense against civil lawsuits, increased community advocacy, and more confidence in the agency’s ability to operate efficiently and respond to community needs”.
As part of this final On-Site Assessment, employees and members of the general public are invited to provide comments to the Assessment Team, which can be done by telephone or email on July 26th.
The public can call 517-546-2440 on July 26th between 9am and 11am. Telephone comments are limited to five (5) minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with the Commission’s standards.
Email comments can be sent to Lt. Eric Sanborn at esanborn@livgov.com.
A copy of the standards are available for inspection at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, 150 S. Highlander Way, Howell, MI. Those interested can contact Sanborn at 517-546-2440 x 7903.
Once the assessors complete their review, they will report to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status.
Accreditation is valid for a three-year period during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting to their continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.
More information is available in the attached press release.