2022 WCSO Annual Report - Report - Page 28
PURSUIT OF
Forensics
EXCELLENCE
The Forensic Science Unit (FSU) is accredited to
international standards, having met the ISO/IEC
17020:2012 requirements for forensic inspection with
a scope in friction ridge and scene investigation. The
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) National
Accreditation Board (ANAB) awards this accreditation
based on annual assessment of an agency’s technical
qualifications and competence for conducting inspection
activities within the scope. Accreditation is vital to the
FSU as it ensures forensic analysts and technicians
are maintaining the highest professional standards
while remaining unbiased in both their analyses and
testimonies. Accreditation enables the FSU to rely on
best practices for processing crime scenes and examining
evidence while receiving ongoing training in order to
maintain credibility in the county, scientific community,
and the legal system. Additionally, the unit supervisor
and two forensic analysts hold significant credentials
as Certified Latent Print Examiners and Certified Crime
Scene Analysts. One forensic technician and one forensic
analyst are certified as a Crime Scene Investigators.
*Surveillance Video Retrieval is not an accredited service.
CONTINUED
Oregon Jail Standards
The Oregon State Sheriff’s Association (OSSA) establishes
best practices for jails that address everything from staff
training to kitchen operations. The 320 best-practice
measurements, known as the Oregon Jail Standards
(OJS), are designed to raise the bar by improving
management, reducing liability, and creating consistency
in the operation of all county jails. The Washington
County Jail has remained compliant with these
comprehensive standards since 2000.
Jail Health Care
National Commission on Corrections Health
Care (NCCHC) is a private, independent assessor
of correctional health care. NCCHC provides two
accreditations: one to the correctional facility to provide
a measurable, standard-based system of care and the
other to the individual medical professional to confirm
adherence to industry best practices and standards. At
the Washington County Jail, accreditations ensure more
efficient operations, reduce the risk of adverse events
related to adults’ care in custody, improve health status
for adults in custody, and reduce health risks for the
community upon release.
26 | 2022 WCSO Annual Report
