Georgia Sheriff’s Association Elects New Officers at Annual Training Conference

Seventy Sheriffs from around the state recently participated in the three-day annual Summer Training Conference held at Lake Lanier Islands. The Sheriffs attended multiple training sessions, received timely information from subject matter experts, and conducted Association business, including electing new officers.

The conference was otherwise devoted to training sessions to update the Sheriffs on topics relevant to public safety and the Office of Sheriff. Expert speakers  provided training to the Sheriffs on legislative and legal issues, biological weapons and preparedness, COVID 19, and the courts, state law enforcement and community relations, among other things.

Sheriff’s Offices in Georgia have many responsibilities such as providing courthouse security, operating jails, transporting inmates and mental health patients, performing traffic and law enforcement functions, registering sex offenders and many more law enforcement actions. Sheriffs are the chief law enforcement officer of each county and have many mandated responsibilities by state law. As a result of these diverse responsibilities, Sheriffs must be knowledgeable of best practices and procedures in many areas. Current concerns of law enforcement, as they relate to the Office of Sheriff, are addressed during training conferences sponsored by the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association.

“Their participation is vital if we are to seek out the best practices in fulfilling these important responsibilities,” stated Terry Norris, Executive Director, Georgia Sheriffs’
Association.

The Sheriffs heard from Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, Executive Director Pete Skandalakis of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council, Director Homer Bryson of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, and other state agency heads.