Sheriff Craig Webre announced that the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has been re-accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) for Law Enforcement, Training Academy and Communications. These three accreditations allow the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office to maintain its Tri-Arc Accreditation status, a distinction held by fewer than 40 agencies in the U.S. and Mexico combined. The announcement of the accreditations came March 23, 2024, during CALEA’s Spring conference which was held in Montgomery, Alabama.
“It is an incredible honor to once again be re-accredited by CALEA,” said Sheriff Webre. “CALEA not only ensures we have fair and legal policies in place, but that those policies are also being practiced. It provides the public with the ultimate level of accountability and transparency for a law enforcement agency. We are proud to serve our residents using the best practices and proven policies from across the country.”
This marks the eighth time the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has been accredited by CALEA. The agency was initially accredited in 2000 and has been re-accredited seven consecutive times. LPSO must meet 461 standards to gain accredited status for the agency which now lasts for a period of four years. During that time, the agency must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited. The agency also submits proofs that are reviewed by CALEA compliance service managers l to ensure policies are indeed being followed.
Realizing the training and communications functions of any agency come with their own unique challenges, CALEA offers separate accreditation programs for both. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Regional Training Academy trains officers from agencies across the state. It was first certified by the Louisiana Peace Officer Standards and Training Council in April 1986 and has maintained its status ever since. To achieve its CALEA accreditation, the academy had to meet 160 standards. The Communications Section, meanwhile, had to meet compliance with 208 standards. This section is staffed by the individuals who answer thousands of calls for service each year.