Chapel Hill – The N.C. Sheriffs’ Association last week hosted sheriffs elected in November 2022 for the fourth and final week of the Sheriffs’ Leadership Institute.
Sheriffs from across the state, including Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith, attended. The Sheriffs’ Leadership Institute is held at the Rizzo Center of the University of North Carolina.
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During the week, sheriffs heard guest speakers, attended training classes and presentations on a variety of topics to help them improve their skills to be an effective sheriff. Topics covered included leadership strategies, personal resiliency, ethics and professionalism, social media, community engagement, school resource officers, courthouse security and the Statewide Misdemeanant Confinement Program.
At the conclusion of the week, Smith graduated from the Sheriffs’ Leadership Institute and earned a diploma for the achievement.
The Sheriffs’ Leadership Institute is held every four years following the election for the office of sheriff in North Carolina and is taught in one week segments over the course of 16 months. The N.C. Sheriffs’ Association has organized the Institute since 2006, and almost every newly elected sheriff in the state since then has attended to receive the valuable training offered by the association.
“As a newly elected sheriff, I have been grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with and be mentored by experienced sheriffs and learn from experts in the field during each week of the Institute,” Smith said in a release. “I look forward to applying the knowledge I gained as I work every day to keep our community safe.”