SARASOTA, Fla. — The Sarasota Police Department is asking for the public to contribute comments towards an ongoing accreditation process.
Next month, a team with the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation will look into whether the department has been following the rules.
A preliminary team recently reviewed case files with the internal affairs office of the department. Police department leaders said the goal of the accreditation process is to ensure that officers and staff are following laid down policies and procedures and not cutting corners.
"It is a comprehensive overview of all of our policies and procedures, and essentially how we do business," Captain Kenneth Rainey with the Sarasota Police Department said.
The on-site assessment scheduled for March 21 would cover all aspects of Sarasota Police operations. Assessors will monitor patrol, criminal investigations, sports services and the professional standards divisions to ensure they're all in compliance with the rules and best practices.
"They did ride-alongs with patrol officers training unit and they are evaluated by how they do business and how their files are kept," Rainey said.
The assessment would not only cover issues like documentation and record keeping but also health and well-being, not just for the human officers but also for K-9s.
"In addition to meeting a canine handler and their dog and having a chance to interview, they'll have a spot interaction with that handler saying 'hey, how do you do this specific task,' and they're evaluating them for knowledge of their job assignment," he said.
Rainey also said a high accreditation assessment would help enhance perception as well as in recruiting efforts.
"We strive to be the best police agency we can possibly be and this is just another example of that when we complete these assessments, we are doing the appropriate things that we are supposed to be doing," Rainey said.