Douglas County Sheriff's Office receives state law enforcement accreditation

EAST WENATCHEE — The Douglas County Sheriff's Office received accreditation from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) on November 19.

The certification follows the completion of a seven-phase accreditation process that evaluates departments' operations against established law enforcement standards and practices.

The accreditation program examines administrative operations, employment practices, records management, technology use, health and safety protocols, training, codes of conduct, and prisoner security measures. Certification remains valid for four years before departments must undergo re-accreditation.

WASPC, founded in 1963, consists of over 900 members including 39 elected county sheriffs, 240 police chiefs, along with representatives from the Washington State Patrol, Washington Department of Corrections, and federal agencies. The Washington Legislature initially called for developing law enforcement standards in 1976.

"We are very proud of this achievement and would like to express our sincere thanks to our agency members, community members, and all others who have continued to support us," the Sheriff's Office stated in the announcement.