Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Earns National Accreditation After 2½-Year Review

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office has received national accreditation following a 2½-year review of its policies, procedures and operations.

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) granted the accreditation July 25 after reviewing the agency’s compliance with 183 professional standards, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Ricky Cox discussed the process during the Calvert County Police Accountability Board’s Aug. 26 meeting, saying the agency received positive feedback from assessors.

“They came through our office and went through all of our manuals, went through our policy, went through our procedures, and we got all positive ratings,” Cox said.

CALEA is an independent credentialing organization that evaluates public safety agencies against standards covering administration, operations, training, personnel practices and service delivery. According to CALEA, accreditation is voluntary and is intended to show that an agency follows recognized professional practices.

The Sheriff’s Office underwent an assessment that included a review of its written policies and procedures, interviews with employees and an examination of several parts of the agency. Cox said assessors looked at areas ranging from property storage and investigative operations to patrol, canine units and other bureaus.

“It’s kind of uneasy, somebody coming in your house and inspecting it,” Cox said. “They were looking at every little thing.”

The process also required the Sheriff’s Office to update portions of its operating manual, Cox said.

“We cleaned up a lot of things that we needed to, as far as that goes in our manual,” he said. “It was a really good process.”

The Sheriff’s Office began the final assessment phase in 2025, when residents were invited to submit comments about the agency’s community involvement, public safety services and suitability for accreditation. The public feedback was sent directly to CALEA for consideration.

Cox and members of his staff later traveled to Nebraska for a hearing before the accrediting organization.

Accreditation does not directly provide additional funding, Cox told the board, but he said it can support grant applications and create more opportunities to exchange training and other resources with accredited agencies.

According to Cox, the designation requires continued review. The Sheriff’s Office will undergo an online assessment each year and an on-site evaluation every four years to demonstrate that it remains in compliance.

Cox credited Sheriff’s Office employees with completing the review and implementing the required changes.

“I couldn’t have done it without them,” he said.

The post Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Earns National Accreditation After 2½-Year Review appeared first on The BayNet.