SJSO receives 4th Excelsior Award, Sheriff Shoar receives Bittner Award

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St. Johns County Sheriff David B. Shoar announced the agency has maintained accreditation status for the eighth consecutive term by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, while also receiving the prestigious Excelsior Recognition for the fourth consecutive term.

Additionally, the National Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies recently presented the Bittner Award to Shoar for his significant contributions to public safety.     

The CFA review process examines all aspects of an agency’s policies and procedures, management, operations and support services to determine compliance with recognized standards of excellence. The certificate of Reaccreditation and Excelsior Recognition were recently presented to Shoar and the accreditation team by the CFA Commission. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office was initially accredited by CFA in 1996. The Excelsior Recognition is the highest level of achievement within CFA and it recognizes some of the finest criminal justice agencies in the State of Florida.

The CFA assessment team spoke highly of the agency during its review. The assessment team leader, Lt. Mark Buffington, said he would encourage other agencies to tour the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office to glean ideas and processes.

“It was the smoothest onsite I’ve done in 11 years,” Buffington said.

SJSO Director Jason Sheffield added, “More importantly, all three assessors specifically recognized our personnel’s understanding of Sheriff Shoar’s mission statement of ‘Taking Care of People.’” 

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office also garnered national accreditation status in 1991 from CALEA and has consistently maintained that status through each reaccreditation assessment. CALEA recently presented the Bittner Award to Shoar for his contributions to the public safety profession and to CALEA.  “It is a true honor to receive this prestigious award on behalf of the men and women of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office,” Shoar said. “It is their constant and relentless dedication to our community that make this award possible.”

The Egon Bittner Award is presented to chief executive officers who have commanded a CALEA accredited agency for 15 or more continuous years.  Professor Egon Bittner greatly contributed to CALEA’s early development in 1979-80 and was a CALEA commissioner from 1981-88, during the critical developmental stage of the organization.