About
The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission is responsible for the certification of all justice officers, including deputy sheriffs, detention officers and telecommunicators, who are employed in the 100 Sheriffs’ Offices in this state pursuant to N.C.G.S. 17E. Telecommunicators employed by police departments, emergency communications centers, 911 centers and state agencies may also be certified with the Sheriffs’ Standards Commission.
This Commission also oversees the establishment, maintenance and upgrading of acceptable training courses.
Resulting from the creation of the Commission in 1983, the Sheriffs’ Standards Division was established as part of the Department of Justice. The primary objective of this Division is to act as staff to the Commission in carrying out its responsibilities
Attorney General Josh Stein Releases Statement on Violence Against Law Enforcement
Criminal Justice and Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commissions Release Statement on Attacks on Law Enforcement Officers
2022 North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice report to Governor Cooper
Model Law Enforcement Agency Protest and Engagement Policy – April 2024
Sheriffs’ Commission Meeting Schedule
Candidates for the Office of Sheriff
North Carolina Session Law 2021-107 became effective October 1, 2021 and requires that any candidate for Election to the Office of Sheriff or appointee to the Office of Sheriff must disclose any and all felony convictions, including any expunged felony convictions. Any individual filing notice of candidacy must provide a Disclosure Statement prepared by the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission. In order to obtain a disclosure statement, potential candidates for election to the Office of Sheriff must submit the following three (3) documents to the Sheriffs’ Standards Division:
A notarized “Qualifications for Sheriff/Expunction” form
A “Law Enforcement Application for Verification of Expunction” (AOC-CR-280)
A full set of fingerprints
Disclosure statements are valid for a period of 90 days from the date of issuance to the date of filing with the county Board of Elections. For assistance contact our office at 919-779-8213.
SB 300
Senate Bill 300 which was recently signed into law contains a number of provisions related to Criminal Justice reform. Two of the components of this bill which take effect on October 1, 2021, include (Part III) Critical Incident Statewide Database and (Part IV) Report Requirement related to Giglio Material.
In order to assist you with compliance for Part III, the Criminal Justice and Sheriffs’ Standards Divisions have jointly created the “Critical Incident Report for NC Law Enforcement” form. Please download and print the form, complete it in blue or black ink, have the appropriate person(s) sign the form, and then mail it to us at the address listed on the top of the form. It is a statutory requirement that you do so for each qualifying event as articulated in the statute.
In order to assist you with compliance for Part IV, the Divisions have jointly created the “Requirement to Report Material Relevant to Testimony (Giglio)” form. Please complete the form as needed and mail it as indicated above.
North Carolina Session Law 2021-138, Senate Bill 300, also requires a psychological screening exam for all Justice Officers (deputies, detention officers and telecommunicators) seeking initial/first-time Probationary Certification with the Sheriffs’ Commission. This requirement becomes effective 1/1/2022 and applies to justice officers with an appointment or oath date of 1/1/2022 or later. Please see the link below for additional information relating to this requirement.
Critical Incident Report for NC Law Enforcement
Requirement to Report Material Relevant to Testimony (Giglio) form
Psychological Screening Requirement effective 1/1/2022
Pending and Approved Course Schedule
Applications/Certification Documents/Certification Regions
Certification Workshops
The Division has scheduled several certification workshops throughout the state. Individuals can sign up for these workshops through Acadis. This Certification Workshop Flyer has information on the dates/locations of the workshops, what will be covered, and how to register for a class. The goal of these workshops is to assist the personnel in your offices who prepare and submit certification application packets to the Sheriffs’ Standards Division. We will discuss the new process for submitting applications electronically and the new streamlined process of submitting fewer forms to the Division. This information should help your office submit complete packets which should in turn reduce the turnaround time for the Division to process the application packets.
