As part of the continuing education and training in the administration of law enforcement, Chief J. Frank Waits and Captain Clint Kennedy of the Vidalia Police Department, recently attended the 2007 Annual Winter Training conference sponsored by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. This year's conference recognized the Vidalia Police Department for their outstanding achievement of passing State Certification requirements.
Participating agencies conduct a thorough self-analysis to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet the objectives. When the procedures are in place, a team of trained assessors verify that applicable standards have been successfully implemented. The department is then brought before a joint executive committee that decides if the agency has met the requirements for certification. Certification status represents a significant achievement. Certification acknowledges the implementation of policies and procedures that are conceptually sound and operationally effective.
Benefits of certification include: Confirmation that the agency practices are consistent with progressive professional standards, greater operational and administrative effectiveness, enhanced understanding of agency policies and practices, greater public confidence in the agency, recognition in the field of outstanding achievement, reduced liability potential; resulting in insurance savings and greater governmental and community support.
Certification is a progressive and time-proven way of helping law enforcement agencies calculate and improve their overall performances. The foundation of certification lies in the promulgation of standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives. At present, less than 100 of over 500 police agencies in the State of Georgia are certified.
