.
Murphy – The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office has completed an extensive organizational assessment through a partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s National Training & Technical Assistance Center.
This no-cost initiative was designed to help the sheriff’s office strengthen community engagement, modernize operations, and align local law enforcement practices with national best standards.
Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith said the assessment provides a valuable road map for improvement.
“This process reaffirms our commitment to transparency, accountability and excellence in public service,” Smith said. “By working closely with our community and partners, we will continue to strengthen trust and deliver the professional, compassionate service our citizens deserve.”
The sheriff’s office will use this report as a foundation for developing its upcoming strategic plan and training initiatives, ensuring continued alignment with evidence-based practices and community policing values.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office will work with county commissioners to bring these recommendations into operation.
Results of the assessment
The assessment, conducted by a team of subject matter experts, commended a deep commitment to public service by the sheriff’s office and identified opportunities for continued progress through strategic planning, data-driven decision-making, enhanced training, and improved community partnerships.
Recommendations include:
1. Strategic planning: Develop a formal strategic plan with clear goals, priorities, and measurable outcomes, including updated policies, accreditation efforts and a transparent pay structure to support recruitment and retention.
2. Enhanced training and leadership development: Expand annual training for all staff with a focus on community policing, crisis response, leadership development and professional performance evaluation.
3. Evidence-based policing and detention practices: Strengthen de-escalation, behavioral health support and recidivism reduction through community partnerships and educational programming in detention facilities.
4. Data-driven accountability: Modernize data systems to improve information sharing, trend analysis and performance tracking. Implement regular CompStat-style meetings to ensure transparency and accountability.
5. Community collaboration: Participate in multi-agency task forces addressing justice, behavioral health, victim support, and public safety, promoting interagency coordination and holistic community solutions.
6. Animal welfare and public safety: Support the creation of a community education campaign and citizen action group focused on animal welfare, abuse prevention and responsible ownership, with trained animal control officers handling incidents safely and humanely.
A turbulent period
The assessment follows a turbulent period for the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
The detention center, which is part of the sheriff’s office organization, had three escape attempts over the past year. Although none of the escapes was successful, one cost the life of a detention officer.
A SWAT raid requested by the sheriff’s office in 2022 left an unarmed man severely wounded as he attempted to comply with SWAT team orders. The county settled a subsequent federal lawsuit for $5 million, mostly paid by its insurance carrier.
A senior sheriff’s officer who was central to the 2022 raid was the subject of a Giglio order from the District Attorney’s Office, declaring that his testimony could be untrustworthy due to past misconduct and making it difficult or impossible for him to testify in court. A court order also sealed the sheriff’s office’s evidence room after an audit found evidence could be missing.
The deputy involved in the Giglio order, then-Lt. Milton “Sport” Teasdale, subsequently left the sheriff’s office. Control of the evidence room was restored several months ago.