Police Department

As an accredited law enforcement agency, the Valdosta Police Department, comprised of 167 sworn and 42 non-sworn employees, operates at the highest level of national law enforcement standards. Maintaining the highest level of standards and continually advancing and improving our capabilities, the department provides a family-friendly and safe environment for citizens of Valdosta and all who come to our city.

In 2021, the department attained its eighth consecutive Advanced Accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). This voluntary accreditation process examines all aspects of the Valdosta Police Department’s policies and procedures, management practices, daily operations, and support services. The department has been internationally accredited since 1999.

In 2020, the department was assessed by the State of Georgia Law Enforcement Certification Property through the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (GACP). This is a separate voluntary program similar to CALEA, in which the department is assessed every three years. The department has been a State Certified law enforcement agency since 1999.

As Valdosta continues to grow as a regional center, the Valdosta Police Department continuously prepares and evolves into a regional response law enforcement agency. The department works closely with local, state, and national agencies to expand our methods, practices, and capabilities to stay informed and provide increased security in drug enforcement, gang identification, and homeland security.

Accreditation Public Comment Portal

The purpose of this public portal is to receive comments regarding an agency's compliance with CALEA standards, engagement in the service community, delivery of public safety services, and overall candidacy for accredited status. These comments can be in the form of commendations or concerns. The overall intent of the accreditation process is to provide the participating agency with information to support continuous improvement, as well as foster the pursuit of professional excellence.

IMPORTANT: CALEA is not an investigatory body and subsequently the public portal should not be used to submit information for such purposes. Additionally, there will be no response other than acknowledgment to submissions; however, the information will be considered in context to its relevancy to compliance with standards and the tenets of CALEA® Accreditation.

 Please use this link for the Valdosta Police Department: click here

Annual Report

VPD 2023 Annual Report by Erica Thrift