The Gulf Breeze Police Department was the first law enforcement agency to be accredited west of Tallahassee by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation [CFA]. Accreditation is the certification by an independent reviewing authority recognizing professional excellence. Being an accredited agency means the agency meets or exceeds the highest recommended levels in transparency, accountability, and professionalism. CFA outlines 240 benchmarks each agency must meet before becoming accredited.
The Excelsior Recognition is the highest level of achievement in Florida accreditation a criminal justice agency can receive. Since June of 2014, the Gulf Breeze Police Department has received reaccreditation with Excelsior Recognition. To be eligible for this recognition the agency must earn five consecutive perfect scores during its prior accreditations by the Commission. The Police Department maintained its Excelsior status during the 2017 and 2020 Reaccreditation cycles. Our commitment to accreditation assures that the residents, businesses, and visitors of our city are getting the best possible police services delivered on a daily basis.
The accreditation process provides the following benefits to the agency:
- A thorough review of the agency’s status and readiness
- Reinforces the agency’s ability to maintain the highest standard of professional law enforcement services
- Ensures policies and procedures are documented in writing and are defendable
- Assurance your agency personnel are trained and functioning according to your policies and procedures
- Strengthens the agency’s defense against lawsuits and complaints
- Increases community pride and employee morale through statewide recognition
- Assures government leaders of the quality of services delivered by their local law enforcement agency
- A quality work environment for well-trained professionals that aids in retaining and recruiting qualified personnel
- Professional review of agency operations, personnel practices and training policies
The accreditation process provides the following benefits to the community:
- Increased confidence in the agency’s ability to deliver quality law enforcement services
- Improved community and agency interaction
- Efficient use of law enforcement tax dollars
- Better trained officers