Sheriff’s Office earns recertification

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

COLUMBUS — The Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office is one of six law enforcement agencies recently recertified by meeting standards set by the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board. The announcement was made Thursday by the Office of Criminal Justice Services.

Other agencies recertified include the Bolivar Police Department (Tuscarawas County), East Palestine Police Department (Columbiana County), Fairfield Township Police Department (Butler County), the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ohio Casino Control Commission. In addition, two others were certified for the first time: the Cross Creek Township Police (Jefferson County) and the Fairview Park Police Department (Cuyahoga County).

Overall, there are 625 certified agencies throughout Ohio that have met the initial standards. Additionally, 29,537 officers (representing 88 percent of all law enforcement officers in Ohio, including most of Ohio’s metropolitan areas) are employed by an agency that is involved in some form of the certification process.

“The Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office strives to provide the best service possible to our citizens,” Sheriff Tom Riggbenbach said. “Obtaining recertification with the Ohio Collaborative is part of our attempt to provide the best service we can. Having good policy for our employees is important. Meeting the standards of the Ohio Collaborative helps put our employees in a better position to do their job at a high level.”

The Collaborative was formed in 2015 to create uniform minimum standards for Ohio’s law enforcement agencies. The first two standards were developed to improve the trust between citizens and law enforcement officers.

Additional standards established by the Collaborative address community engagement, bias-free policing, body-worn cameras, vehicular pursuits, telecommunicator training, employee misconduct, mass protests, agency wellness, interaction with minors, interaction with people in crisis, and property room management and evidence control. The standards are the first of their kind in Ohio and were developed and established by the Collaborative as part of the state’s efforts to strengthen community and police relations.

Agencies completing the certification process have adopted and implemented the initial two standards regarding use of force and hiring and recruitment while the recertification process takes place on a revolving, three to four-year cycle.

The state has partnered with the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police to help certify Ohio’s 900-plus law enforcement agencies on a process to ensure that they are in compliance with Ohio’s standards.