MORRIS COUNTY — Sheriff James M. Gannon and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Bureau of Law Enforcement were proud to receive their eighth accreditation certification from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) at a recent ceremony in Montgomery, Alabama.
“I am so very thankful to all the personnel of the Bureau of Law Enforcement who, day in and day out, deliver the level of professionalism expected of the people of Morris County and outlined in the CALEA accreditation process. I especially want to thank our accreditation team of Detective Lieutenant Tracy Medwin, Sergeant Travis Somerville, Corporal Laura Bertelli, and Sheriff’s Officer Ashley Craig for their exceptional work in attaining this very notable accomplishment,” said Sheriff Gannon.
Accreditation by the CALEA is a demanding process that measures a law enforcement agency’s compliance with the most advanced standards on policy, procedures, operations, and administration and support services. CALEA was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of law enforcement’s major executive associations and is considered the top international standard in public safety evaluation.
In October 2023, CALEA Assessor Dennis Nelson completed a four-day onsite reaccreditation assessment, noting in his final report how committed Sheriff Gannon and the entire MCSO are to the accreditation process.
“All officers interviewed were knowledgeable and engaged in their job function, which translated into accreditation being embedded in the culture of the Office,” said Assessor Nelson, adding, “This is an important aspect to the Sheriff, and it shows throughout the agency in that everyone’s performance is as natural as breathing.”
The onsite review was the final step in the process of achieving reaccreditation and also included a review of policies, practices, and processes.
Sheriff Gannon expressed his gratitude for the level of detail and thoroughness of the CALEA review, stating how important it is for a law enforcement agency to have such a review by an independent, outside source. Accreditation becomes instilled in the agency’s DNA through years of undergoing the process, said Gannon.
“I am pleased to learn that the Morris County Sheriff’s Office has again achieved recertification by the prestigious CALEA. I do not doubt that the MCSO would satisfy all the applicable standards for accreditation, knowing that the leadership staff under Sheriff Gannon has developed a model of good and responsive law enforcement for all their operations,” said Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll.
The MCSO adheres to 461 policy standards ensuring the agency operates within best practices. Reported areas of strength include the delivery of services to the public and the recruitment and retention of officers. The MCSO is a triple crown award recipient accredited in corrections standards set by the American Correctional Association (ACA), correctional healthcare standards under the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare (NCCHC), and law enforcement accreditation through the CALEA. The MCSO is also the first agency in New Jersey to be certified by the Highlands Forensic Investigations & Consulting as a top agency to meet industry standards in crime scene investigation.
“On behalf of the Morris County Chiefs Association, and all Morris County Chiefs of Police, congratulations to Sheriff Gannon and the MCSO for achieving this milestone of their eighth consecutive CALEA reaccreditation. Having been an accreditation manager, I know the effort that goes into achieving the accreditation status. The Morris County Chiefs of Police value our partnership with the MCSO and the invaluable services they provide,” said Morris Plains Police Chief Michael Koroski, president of the Chiefs Association.
Sheriff Gannon continues to invite scrutiny of his organization by gold-standard organizations and is consistently seeking input from municipal, county, state, and federal partners. The sheriff meets regularly, including one-on-one, with all 328 members of his staff to gauge the agency’s performance and to improve processes.
The sheriff also invites the citizens of Morris County to report on what the MSCO does right and where there are opportunities for improvement in a mutual effort to improve outcomes for the community. Click here for more information and to provide feedback.
