Shelby County Sheriff appointed CALEA Commissioner

On September 30, Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego was announced as one of three new commissioners appointed to serve on the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). His three-year term will begin January 1, 2021.  

CALEA is considered the gold standard in public safety and was established as a credentialing body in 1979 as a joint effort of the National Sheriff’s Association (NSA), International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).  

The CALEA Commission is composed of 21 commissioners, 11 with a law enforcement background with the remaining positions filled from other public and private sector backgrounds.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office received its first award of accreditation in 2014 and was the first Sheriff’s Office to receive this designation in Alabama.  The Sheriff’s Office was reaccredited in 2017. 

“The men and women of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office work hard to hold the Sheriff’s Office to the highest standard, and our CALEA Accreditation provides proof of their commitment,” said Samaniego. “I am honored to represent our agency on the CALEA Commission and the opportunity to shape the future of professional law enforcement services.”

Samaniego is serving his second term as Sheriff of Shelby County, and currently serves on the Board of Directors as the Alabama representative for the Regional Organized Crime Information Center (RISS), District Vice-President for the Alabama Peace Officers Association and is a Shelby County Community Corrections Board Member.