The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce it has recently been approved by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police as a State Certified Law Enforcement Agency. This approval is the culmination of several years of progressive work toward achieving the highest standards of professionalism for the citizens of Barrow County. Agencies must make active efforts to be in compliance, and are required to be transparent in their practices. The Sheriff’s Office is proud to be a part of the State Certification Program and is committed to providing the citizens with the best law enforcement services available. Out of the 159 Sheriff’s Offices in the State of Georgia, Barrow is the 20th to achieve State Certification. Sheriff Smith said, “Our commitment to excellence and accountability is never-ending. We could not have accomplished this if our employees were not committed as well. It is an honor to be a part of the certification program.

To be certified, an organization must be in compliance with hundreds of standards ranging from the employment process, training, to the actual services law enforcement provides, as well as many others. Not only must certified agencies have policies in place that represent the most current and best law enforcement practices, they must also prove their practices line up with their policies.