By Elizabeth Knudson
Body cameras. Protective vests. Certification training. These are just some of the items the Virginia Office of the State Inspector General hopes to obtain through grants now that it has hired a new Accreditation Manager to get the agency accredited and to apply for grants. Elizabeth Knudson comes to OSIG from the Lexington Police Department, where she served as its Accreditation Manager for three years and as a patrol officer for four years.
“The Accreditation Manager’s main focus is to get OSIG’s Investigations Unit accredited on both the federal and state levels,” said State Inspector General Michael C. Westfall. “While she is working on that, OSIG can still apply for state and federal grants for body cameras and vests and other items such as law enforcement membership fees and computer software.”
OSIG is applying for accreditation with the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, which is a credentialing authority through law enforcement’s major executive associations, and both can take up to three years to complete. Both commissions award accreditation to public safety agencies that have demonstrated compliance with their high standards.
“These accreditation standards hold law enforcement agencies accountable,” said OSIG Chief of Investigations Katrina Goodman. “Accountability, transparency and integrity are recognized and prized by other law enforcement agencies and communities and show that your agency takes pride in its work.”
Knudson has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Liberty University. She is certified by the Virginia Criminal Information Network and is CPR/AED certified. Knudson also is certified as a Senior Assessor for the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission and as a National Child Passenger Safety Technician.
- Submitted by Kate Hourin, Communications Director