their community . The certification process is a systematic approach for police leaders to ensure their agencies are meeting or exceeding established state and federal professional , management and legal standards . Agencies that are not involved in this process are vulnerable to claims in each of these areas .
The following agencies were recertification at the most recent meeting of the Georgia Law Enforcement Certification Committee
Bloomingdale PD Chief A . B . Jeffcoat
Chamblee PD Chief Kerry Thomas
Ga Southern University PD Chief Laura A . McCullough
Lavonia PD Chief Bruce Carlisle
Lilburn PD Chief Bruce Hedley
Waycross PD Chief Tommy Cox
To ensure their agency is in compliance with these expectations , every department is strongly encouraged to start working toward attaining state certification .
Implementation of the program ’ s requirements takes time to do correctly . Once their application is submitted , agencies have three years to demonstrate compliance with the established standards . Most agencies complete the process in 18 to 24 months .
However , leaders should not work on this process alone . First , local elected officials across the State recognize their police departments are under close public scrutiny and a direct reflection on them . Because of this , agency leaders will likely find support and advocacy from elected officials and their community to engage in the certification process .
Second , as agencies begin work on attaining certification , there are abundant resources available for all departments , regardless of their size , to implement procedures crafted for their unique environment and comply with the standards . In addition to the 138 certified agencies across the state , the program staff at the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police ( GACP ) are prepared to make their knowledge , experience and resources available to help agencies achieve their goal .
Registration to participate in the program is only $ 375 . Once certified , departments that receive their law enforcement insurance coverage from the Georgia Interlocal Risk Management Agency ( GIRMA ) will receive an annual 20 % reduction in their premiums . While a variety of factors affect premium costs , agencies with 15 – 25 officers will save $ 2,500 - $ 5,000 a year , while agencies with 100 – 125 officers will enjoy a $ 25,000 - $ 40,000 reduction .
In closing , every agency leader is bound by the same legal and professional standards for operating their department . Citizens from every community assume and expect their departments are complying with these standards . The only way chief executives can ensure and demonstrate their agency is complying with this expectation is to participate in the Georgia Law Enforcement State Certification .
For more information regarding the program , go to
https :// gachiefs . com / state-certification / or call the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police Office at ( 770 ) 495-9650 .
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