REYNOLDS, Ga. — Only 145 law enforcement agencies in Georgia are state-certified. Reynolds Police Department has just joined that list.
Police Chief Lonnie J. Holder said his department is the smallest team to successfully do it.
"The state certification means to us is that we’ll have a professional department, make sure that we have policies in place, so if we do arrive and one of my guys gets in trouble, we have that policy and procedure to fall back on," Holder said.
Holder said the state policies hold his department accountable and can reassure community members.
This has been Chief Holder's goal for 17 years. He said he was waiting to find the right person to handle all the paperwork.
That man is Captain Sean Humphrey.
Humphrey handles all the details and operates as the department's Certification Manager on top of his other duties. Getting the certification was great, but Humphrey's work doesn't stop there.
"For the next three years, we still have to do everything we've been doing before, and every year we have to prove that we satisfy the 141 standards," Humphrey said.
Reynolds PD is the smallest department in Georgia to achieve this certification with only six people protecting the city around the clock, but Holder said size doesn't matter with these standards.
"It don't matter how small you are. You know what I mean? So, you could do the same thing. You could work in Atlanta, Columbus, or whatever or Macon. We're saying that cause we're a smaller department, we can be held to the same standard that you know that department does, so it's a great feeling to be matched up like that," Holder said.
Holder said he's grateful to earn this certification, so it can be a highlight in his legacy. He believes the certification could help with recruiting since people will be joining a group of professionals.
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