The Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation voted unanimously to approve the Gulfport Police Department for reaccreditation. The voluntary process requires agencies to comply with as many as 263 standards covering all aspects of operations. Assessments and commission reviews are conducted once every three years.
The assessment for Gulfport was completed April 24-26 by Lt. Sue Manney from the Orlando Police Department, Inspector James Fannin of the Walton County Sheriff's Office, and Administrative Supervisor Wanda Binz of the Ponce Inlet Police Department. The assessment team found Gulfport in compliance with 100% of mandatory and 93% of non-mandatory standards.
Comments in the team's report indicate that GPD employees were polite, helpful, and proud of the agency. Commissioner Pete Marcus (chief of police in Edgewood, FL), noted in particular that Gulfport's police-officer fitness program was exemplary and should be a model for other law enforcement agencies.
This is the fourth time that the Gulfport Police Department has achieved this honor following its initial accredication in 2000. The next assessment will take place in 2015.
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