Photo by Erin Nelson Starnes Media
Shelby County Jail
Holding cells in booking at the Shelby County Jail on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. Photo by Erin Nelson
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office recently achieved Level I National Accreditation, the highest level of national accreditation through the National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO).
A press release from jailtraining.org, explained the national accreditation process demands strict focus and attention for all levels of jail operation. In Alabama, NIJO’s Legal-Based Jail Guidelines are comprised of 15 sections and 595 guidelines to assist administrators with specific operational and policy driven areas. The Shelby County Jail Division were required to review and ensure complicity to these guidelines before undergoing an intensive multi-week auditing process and on-site verification conducted by NIJO’s auditors. The Jail Division administrators and staff successfully met every compliance requirement and are to be commended for their commitment and dedication to operating their facility.
“Five minutes into the inspection you could tell this was a facility that was operated the right way,” stated NIJO Inspector, Joshua Arnold. “The staff are proud of their facility and take great pride in the work they accomplish day in and day out. The inmates know what is expected from them from the staff and they respond accordingly. As a result, a safe and positive environment has been created. The Shelby County Jail is one of the finest correctional facilities I have inspected.”
The SCSO joins an elite list of jails that have reached a Level 1 Accreditation. When Sheriff John Samaniego saw that the jail scored 100% on the core NIJO standards, he said, “This reaccreditation is a reflection of all the hard work that the staff and all of the Jail Deputies do every day here at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.”
Shelby County’s commitment to operating its detention facility within compliance requirements of the Legal-Based Guidelines has enhanced jail operations, increased professionalism, and proactively served to protect against liability and other risk management issues.
Tate McCotter, NIJO Executive Director said there are few professions which are as volatile and subject to change as corrections, and in order to be compliant with the law and run a constitutionally safe facility, jail administrators must be proactive and stay ahead of the curve, constantly updating policies and procedures, looking for ways that safety and security might be compromised. He went on to say that accreditation benefits the jail staff, the inmates, and the entire public. For most counties, the jail is the largest liability in county government, and the process itself becomes a significant risk management and liability defense.”
McCotter explained the recognition reflects far more than a plaque on the wall for Shelby County Jail. “It represents much-sustained effort, dedication, and consistency by their administration and staff to run a constitutionally safe facility. Shelby County should be very proud,” he said.
Samaniego added that saying he is proud of the men and women who operate the jail is a great understatement.
"These men and women demonstrate the highest degree of professionalism and compassion, and this national accreditation that has been awarded illustrates their devotion perfectly," he said. "Please join me in congratulating each of them on their hard work."
