The Hall County Sheriff's Office has met the requirements of the state's top law enforcement standards.

The Sheriff's Office earned state recertification through the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police for the fourth time since originally being certified in 2003.

Eligible agencies may apply for recertification every three years. Only 15 percent of eligible agencies achieve state certification, according to a statement.

State certification requires agencies to meet certain standards that include the role and relationship to the community, management, personnel, legal issues, operations, support services, communications and holding areas.

The Office of Professional Standards with the Sheriff's Office oversees daily operations and ensures the agency is working in a safe and effective way. The certification shows that the agency has met the state's recognized standards.

"It's a full-time job for the personnel who work in that office. They are overseeing and inspecting all of those different areas," said Sgt. Stephen Wilbanks, public information officer.

Wilbanks explained that a law enforcement agency is not required to be certified. But the Sheriff's Office has both state and national accreditation.

The certification shows that the agency's practices are consistent with other top state law enforcement agencies, provides a better understanding of its policies and potentially reduces its liability.

Not only does the certification show the agency is keeping up with standards but it can create more community confidence.

"State certification requires a great deal of effort and commitment to a complex tasks and it offers proof to your community that you are doing the right things and doing things right," Frank Rotondo, executive director of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, said in a statement.