A team of independent assessors is coming to the area next month to examine the Volusia County Sheriff's Office's policies, procedures, management and operations.

The public is invited to comment as part of a periodic, outside review designed to verify the department's compliance with law enforcement performance standards. The Sheriff's Office has been internationally accredited since 1991.

As part of the on-site assessment, the independent Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. is inviting the public and agency employees to comment on the Sheriff’s Office's ability to comply with commission standards. Copies of the standards are available for public inspection at the Sheriff's Office on the fourth floor of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand.

Anyone who would like to provide comments to the assessment team should call 386-822-5796 from 2 to 4 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 5.

Those wishing to make their comments in person are invited to attend a public information session at 6 p.m. Aug. 5, in the County Council chambers on the second floor of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center.

All comments will be taken by the assessment team. Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the Sheriff's Office ability to comply with CALEA standards. Further information can be obtained by calling Sandy Shields or B.J. Rossetti in the Sheriff's Office's Professional Standards section at 386-736-5961.

Written comments about the agency's ability to comply with the standards for accreditation also will be accepted on behalf of the assessors. They can be mailed to either of the following addresses:

Volusia County Sheriff's Office
Office of Professional Standards
Attn: Sandy Shields, Director
123 W. Indiana Ave.
DeLand, FL 32720

--OR--

Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Inc.
13575 Heathcote Blvd.
Suite 320
Gainesville, VA 20155

In addition, comments can be provided through an online contact submission form at the CALEA's website at www.calea.org.