Forsyth County 911 Center Awarded CALEA Re-Accreditation
CALEA re-accreditation demonstrates commitment to excellence
The Forsyth County 911 Center was recently awarded the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) Public Safety Communications Re-Accreditation and was recognized for the accomplishment by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners during their June 3, 2021, meeting.
Forsyth County is one of eleven Georgia 911 Centers that currently holds the CALEA Public Safety Communications Accreditation. Accreditation lasts for four years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with assessed standards. The County was last awarded the accreditation on Nov. 5, 2016.
“To achieve the re-accreditation, the County needed to meet over 200 standards during the review process,” said Forsyth County EMA and 911 Center Director Chris Grimes. “I am proud of the hard work and dedication the 911 Center staff puts in everyday to respond to calls for help from our residents.”
The primary mission of CALEA is to accredit public safety agencies, including communications centers, by using a national body of standards developed by law enforcement professionals. The CALEA assessment team is composed of public safety communications practitioners from similar out-of-state agencies. The assessors reviewed written materials, videos and interviewed individuals to verify compliance before voting to approve the Forsyth County 911 Center’s re-accreditation.
CALEA Accreditation strengthens an agency’s accountability, both within the agency and the community, and can limit a communications center’s liability and risk exposure by demonstrating that standards for public safety communications are met.