(5-21-26) On May 13, 2026, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office was awarded OCLEAP (Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program) accreditation after a yearlong process.

The Sheriff’s Office participated in the multi-phased process that involved self-analysis, an investment in time and resources, and coordination with the ODPS-OCJS (the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Office of Criminal Justice Services). Documentation was submitted to show compliance in 32 specific and detailed standards, that had been designed and approved specifically for Ohio law enforcement agencies. This was followed by an onsite assessment that reviewed our policies, procedures, and practices against the standards to ensure our compliance.

The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office is one of less than 30 law enforcement agencies in the State of Ohio that has obtained the OCLEAP Accreditation standard from over 900 law enforcement agencies in the state.