FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: March 14, 2023
Sheriff Dale J. Schmidt
Office: 920-386-4115
dschmidt@co.dodge.wi.us
PUBLIC NOTICE
DODGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SEEKING APPROVAL FOR ACCREDITATION STATUS
Accreditation Assessment Team Invites Public Comment
A team of assessors from the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group (WILEAG) will arrive on March 21, 2023, to examine all aspects of the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures, management, operation, and support service, Sheriff Dale Schmidt announced today.
Verification by the team that the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office meets the board’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation – a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.
As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on March 22, 2023, starting at 5:00 p.m. The session will be conducted in the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Operations Center/Training Room located on the second floor of the sheriff’s office at 124 West St, Juneau, WI 53039.
If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone. The public may call 920-386-4074 on March 22, 2023, between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Telephone comments, as well as appearances at the public information session, are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with WILEAG’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office. The agency contact for further information is Chief Deputy Chad Enright.
Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write to Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group, WILEAG at WILEAG at P.O. Box 528, Hartland, WI 53029.
The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office must comply with 262 standards to gain accredited status, Sheriff Dale Schmidt said. “Becoming accredited gives Dodge County citizens and visitors’ peace of mind knowing that their sheriff’s office operates under policies and procedures which are recognized nationally as being best practice. As a result, they know that when the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office handles a law enforcement matter, we will always do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons in service of our community.”
The Accreditation Manager for the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office is Chief Deputy Chad Enright. He indicates that the assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar agencies. The assessors will review written material, interview individuals, and visit offices and places where compliance can be witnessed. The assessors are Glendale Police Chief Mark Ferguson, Team Leader; Captain Chad Milow of the South Milwaukee Police Department; Officer Kirsten James of the Mequon Police Department.
Once the WILEAG Board’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report to the full board, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status.
Accreditation status is granted for three years, during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.
For more information regarding the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group, please write to WILEAG at P.O. Box 528, Hartland, WI 53029 or executive.director@wileag.info
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