The Professional Standards Division is comprised of Accreditation and Policies, Polygraph, Crime Analysis, Testing, and Grants. All of these administrative functions fall under the leadership Lt Roger Richardson.

Since taking office, Sheriff Dennis has made it a priority to update and expand the policies and operating procedures of the office to better suit today’s law enforcement working environment. By doing this, we can better ensure the training, efficiency and professionalism of our deputies and how they operate.

Sheriff Dennis also wanted to have a dedicated full-time person to run polygraph tests, analyze crime patterns, perform evaluation and promotion testing for employees, and to find grants for money and equipment.

Polygraph testing, though inadmissible in courts, is a critical tool not only in criminal investigations but also employment. All potential employees must successfully pass a polygraph examination prior to being considered for employment. Analysis of patterns in criminal activity can greatly enhance how investigators work cases and how deputies change their tactics and how they patrol.

Since gaining a full-time grant writer in 2005, we have been awarded almost $675,000 in money and equipment from various sources. These funds have allowed us to buy equipment we would never have been able to afford otherwise. Among the items gained are night vision equipment, a thermal imager, a video enhancement system, digital in-car camera recording systems, forensic equipment, and we were able to start up and completely outfit the regional Third Judicial Circuit Drug Analysis Laboratory