The Doña Ana Sheriff’s Office was accredited for the first time, ever by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., CALEA® after a formal hearing on November 11, 2023 in Bellevue, Washington.  Gaining accreditation is a distinction held by very few, as there are more than 18,000 law enforcement agencies, just in the U.S.

This accreditation is not just a certificate to hang on the wall; it is a symbol of our dedication to excellence in law enforcement and represents the countless hours of hard work, determination, and collaboration that have brought us to this moment. Sheriff Stewart expresses her deepest gratitude to the men and women of this department who have shown unwavering dedication to the accreditation process.” The CALEA® Accreditation, recognized as the International Gold Standard for Public Safety Agencies, is a mark of our accomplishments over years of hard work, dedication, and professionalism.

This process began with a thorough self-assessment of our policies, practices, and processes against 183 internationally acclaimed public safety standards, followed by an external onsite assessment by independent assessors, confirming our commitment to the highest level of performance. The process included invaluable feedback we received from the public we serve that facilitated community trust and engagement. Structured interviews with several agency personnel and other knowledgeable individuals assisted our evaluators in gaining full-scale insight into the effectiveness and overall service delivery capacities of the Doña Ana Sheriff’s Office.

This award is not the end of our journey but a significant milestone in a continuous process of self-improvement. Our dedication to maintaining a transparent, well-managed, community focused public safety office will remain unwavering. Regular compliance with CALEA standards and routine evaluations for the same will help us sustain this mark of excellence.

CALEA Accreditation Public Comment Portal

The  Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office is participating in the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, CALEA, Law Enforcement Accreditation process. CALEA is considered a gold standard in public safety.  As part of this process, we provide an opportunity for public feedback via the CALEA Portal here:  Public Comment Portal

The purpose of this public portal is to receive comments regarding an agency's compliance with CALEA standards, engagement in the service community, delivery of public safety services, and overall candidacy for accredited status. These comments can be in the form of commendations or concerns. The overall intent of the accreditation process is to provide the participating agency with information to support continuous improvement, as well as foster the pursuit of professional excellence.

IMPORTANT: CALEA is not an investigatory body; therefore, the public portal should not be used to submit information for that purpose.  Also, there will be no response other than acknowledgement to submissions. However, the information will be considered in context to its relevancy to compliance with standards and the tenets of CALEA® Accreditation. 

Community Crime Map View crimes by neighborhood in Doña Ana County

 The Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department is a proud partner with Project Lifesaver, an active response system that can help locate someone you love who suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s. For more information on the program, or to sign up, please contact:

Project Lifesaver Coordinator
stephend@01001111.net
(575) 525-8862

About

Doña Ana County was established January 9, 1852. Since then, sheriffs and deputies have risen to serve the citizens in an effort to keep our community safe. Doña Ana County Sheriff Office , which covers 3,814 square miles is the state's second-largest department and serves a population of 223,337 residents. We are dedicated to continuing our rich heritage of more than 170 years of quality service.