Staff report

Three officers with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Department were recently awarded Professional Certificates from the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission.

Detention Officers John Gaston Noble and John Cole Sifford received the Advanced Deputy Professional Law Enforcement Certificate, and Deputy Tonya Rusher Barber received the Advanced Deputy Professional Law Enforcement Certificate.

The officers were presented the awards in November.

The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission was established in September 1983.

The purpose of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission is to upgrade the capabilities, competence and proficiency of sheriffs’ departmental personnel through programs, standards and procedures involving employment, improvement, career development and retention of the sheriffs’ office personnel.

The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission currently maintains certification files on over 20,000 deputy sheriffs, detention officers and telecommunicatiors.

The purpose of the Advanced Deputy Professional Law Enforcement Certificate and the Advanced Detention Center Officer Certificate is to recognize the level of competence of officers serving the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Offices, to foster increased interest in college education and professional law enforcement training programs and to attract highly qualified people into a law enforcement career.

The certificate is the highest professional certificate awarded to detention officers, sheriffs and deputy sheriffs in North Carolina.

To qualify for the Advanced Certificate, officers must complete a combination of professional training and relevant education, as well as, meet minimum experience requirements.