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ZEBULON - The Pike County Sheriff’s Office was one of six counties recognized at the annual Georgia Sheriffs’ Association Fall Conference for achieving the Office of Sheriff Accreditation.

The Georgia Sheriffs’ Association, Office of Sheriff Accreditation Program is a process to determine if defined standards are met. An accreditation program is a means to acknowledge that the highest standards of professionalism in areas specific to the Office of Sheriff have been achieved.

The Office of Sheriff Accreditation Program incorporates many of the mandated duties that are unique to the Office of Sheriff such as jail operations, court security, civil process, sex offender registration and countless other mandates. The accreditation program for sheriffs’ offices assesses best practice standards to meet the specific duties according to the constitution, Georgia statutes, and case law.

The objective of the program is to enhance professionalism and reduce liability in areas specific to the Office of Sheriff through accreditation standards as well as publicly recognizing achievement through formal accreditation. This new certification provides a solid foundation and greatly improves the overall performances within the sheriff’s office. The certification represents a substantial achievement both professionally for the office and personally for the sheriff’s staff.

The application process included a self-assessment tool submitted by the Office, supporting documentation, and an independent review by a team of sheriff’s office personnel designated as experts in the specific assessment areas. The accreditation process includes a comprehensive review of an agency’s policies, procedures, practices, operations, and proofs by assessors to ensure they meet or exceed standards. A total of 236 standards were assessed as part of the process.

The Office of Sheriff Accreditation Program has been developed by the Sheriffs, for the Sheriffs. The benefits of this certification is an exceptional achievement for all sheriff’s offices who choose to participate.

"As Sheriff, I am proud to announce that the Pike County Sheriff’s Office is one of only 14 sheriff’s offices that have achieved this accreditation," said Sheriff Jimmy Thomas.