Only four MS Sheriff’s Department are accredited, but more could join

OKTIBBEHA and CLAY COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi has 82 counties, but only 4 of those counties have fully accredited sheriff’s departments.

The Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office is one of those departments.

When a law enforcement agency is accredited, it means the department has met a specific set of standards of best practice.

It is a long, intensive process, involving over 100 criteria departments must meet.

Accreditation isn’t a requirement for law enforcement agencies, but Oktibbeha County Sheriff Steve Gladney says when he was elected back in 2012, he wanted the department to be the best it could be.

“We’re one of four out of 82 counties, so that’s something that I tell these guys that they need to take a lot of pride in and be proud of that, you know, we do things the right way and we’re professional in what we do.”

Gladney says although three other counties can claim accredited sheriff’s departments, Oktibbeha has another distinction.

“The Starkville Police Department, the Mississippi State Police Department, and the Oktibbeha County Sheriffs Department are state accredited. The only county in the state where all three has their state accreditation.”

Last week, the department made the grade for the third time, which will be good for four years.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Department is going through the process for the first time and called Oktibbeha in for back-up.

“With accreditation, it’s basically policies and procedures and I mean, this is something that we have to work on every day. This is not just something that you’re going to do one time and put it away. This is an everyday ongoing project and I mean, we’re going have to stay at it,” said Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott.

Nine chapters and 130 different policies make up the process.

“Each standard they have to go through and put in a proof that we’re actually following that standard. For example, we have to video a deputy wearing a seat belt, or if a deputy is out working a traffic accident, we have to have our safety vest on, so each proof has to go with these standards.”

Sheriff Eddie Scott believes accreditation will take the county to the next level.

“Includes not only the law enforcement side of it, but our jail also. So, by getting this accredited, we’re showing that we have a set of standard policies that we will follow. This also will help our county liability carriers, so hopefully it will save the county some money by what we’re doing.”

The Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department’s Accreditation Manager is also helping the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department with the process.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol is also in the process of becoming accredited.