Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver is pleased to announce Sheriff’s Office Chief Investigator Josh Summerford, Investigator Michael Green, and Investigator Jeremy Stepps recently graduated from advanced law enforcement training programs. Chief Investigator Summerford graduated from the Alabama Public Safety Leadership Academy in Tuscaloosa. The Academy is hosted by the Alabama Fire College and was created through a partnership with the Alabama Fire College, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Alabama Emergency Management Agency, and other public safety organizations in an effort to provide information and training for current and emerging leaders in the public safety profession throughout the state of Alabama.
After being nominated, attendants are chosen by the Alabama Pubic Safety Leadership Academy Advisory Board. Participants are from all public safety fields including law enforcement, fire, emergency medical service, and emergency management. The third graduating class was comprised of leaders from numerous fire service agencies, police department, sheriff’s offices, state troopers, emergency management, the Alabama Forestry Commission, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The nine-month interdisciplinary experience covered topics such as public finance/budgeting, communications/media relations, ethics, coordination of major events, human resource management, legislative process/governmental affairs and strategic management. Courses were held once a month in different locations throughout the state to expose participants to leaders in the field and showcase innovative programs.
Summerford stated, “This was a very informative program that enabled me to work with and establish relationships with other public safety officials from across Alabama. I appreciate Sheriff Shaver and the Alabama Public Safety Leadership Academy Advisory Board for giving me the opportunity to be part of this class.”
Summerford serves at the Chief Investigator of the Sheriff’s Office where he leads the Criminal Investigation Division, which provides professional investigative services for Cherokee County. The broad spectrum of crimes include murder, robbery, arson, burglary, financial crime, theft, juvenile crime, sexual and physical abuse, and the exploitation of children. The CDI is also tasked with counter-drug operations and the Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit. Summerford also serves as the director of the Cherokee County Major Crimes Unit.
Investigators Green and Stepps graduated from the Institute of Police Technology and Management (IPTM) in the field of advanced narcotics investigations. IPTM is a division of the University of North Florida and has been training law enforcement across the nation since 1980. The course is designed to keep you on the leading edge of narcotic investigations by further developing the specialized and technical skills you need to combat an increasing and ever changing illicit drug trade.
Sheriff Shaver said, “I appreciate the dedicated work that our deputies perform every day. We are very fortunate to be staffed with well-trained, professional people in all divisions of the Sheriff’s Office.”