Wheeler County Sheriff-Elect Giles Graduates from GSA Academy
Wheeler County Sheriff-Elect Glenn Giles successfully completed the 144-hour sheriffs-elect academy on Friday, December 13. Giles and 38 other newly-elected sheriffs were required by statute to report to the month-long academy immediately after the General Election to be trained in topics they will face as the chief law enforcement officer of their county.
Giles and the other newly-elected sheriffs attended the training at the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association headquarters in Madison. Certificates were presented to the graduates in a formal commencement ceremony on the last day of the academy session by The Georgia Sheriffs’ Association Executive Committee. The Honorable Alison Burleson, Superior Court Judge, Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit, gave the keynote graduation address and administered the oath of office.
The intense 144-hour curriculum included classroom instruction emphasizing the duties of the chief law enforcement officer of their county. The State Constitution and the Official Code of Georgia specify many duties of the Office of Sheriff, including service as jail officers, court officers, law enforcement officers, and administrators. Class sessions introduced new sheriffs to these responsibilities while state and national experts also lectured the sheriffs-elect on the latest issues concerning jails, civil and criminal procedure, personnel, ethics and liability issues.
“The Office of Sheriff, an office of great dignity, is tasked with many duties and responsibilities. I want to commend Sheriff Giles and this entire group for their commitment to perform their duties to the best of their ability in order to serve and protect the citizens of their counties,” said J. Terry Norris, Executive Director of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association.
The course was initiated by the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association in partnership with the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council which drafted legislation in 1976 requiring every newly-elected sheriff to complete this course during the first term of office.
The training has evolved from a voluntary, two-day seminar in 1960 into an intense curriculum which is now required by law. Georgia was the first state to require training for newly-elected sheriffs, although many states have since passed similar measures. The class ending December 13 marks the completion of the 13th sheriffs-elect academy since the mandate was implemented.
