The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office is one of seven Sheriff’s Offices in the state of Georgia to recently obtain accreditation from the Georgia Sheriff’s Association Office of Sheriff Accreditation Program.
On March 11, 2025, Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie was presented with the official documents of accreditation.
The Office of the Sheriff Accreditation Program (OSAP) launched in 2024 and is sponsored by the Georgia Sheriff’s Association. To date, only seven sheriff’s offices have achieved accreditation: Banks, Columbia, Crisp, Dougherty, Effingham, Glascock and Newton counties.
The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office had to undergo an internal review of policies and practices to ensure that it met the program’s standards. This assignment was tasked with Sgt. Loren Scholes, Accreditation Manager.
“This process took us about two years to complete. I’m proud to be a part of the team here at the sheriff’s office to implement it and get us accredited. I believe this process will ultimately lead to better trained and more professional law enforcement here at the sheriff’s office and throughout the state,” said Sgt. Scholes.
ECSO was on the committee that created the program to help OSAP establish the accreditation program from scratch and ECSO is still helping to train and accredit other agencies in the state.
OSAP’s mission is to elevate professionalism and minimize liability through accreditation standards tailored specifically for the Office of Sheriff.
“Overall, law enforcement accreditations, such as this one, can significantly enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and reputation of our office, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the community we serve. I want to especially thank Sgt. Loren Scholes for all the dedication and work that was put into getting this office accredited,” said Sheriff McDuffie.
