The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (NCSA), which represents all 100 of North Carolina’s Sheriffs, released a report on “law enforcement professionalism” on Tuesday.
The report recommends expanding training, providing regular mental health screenings for deputies and closing loopholes that could make it hard to move those involved in on-the-job misconduct out of law enforcement.
According to a release, the report was developed by a workgroup of over a dozen North Carolina Sheriffs in the wake of the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis Police custody.
It was created “in an effort to create a law enforcement profession that will not tolerate racism and excessive force by law enforcement, and that will hold North Carolina law enforcement to a high standard,” as outlined in its introduction.
The report was distributed to all 100 North Carolina Sheriffs for review before approval last month by the NCSA's Executive Committee, the release stated.
It recommends for law enforcement agencies to set policies barring the use of chokeholds. It also requests legislation be passed by the General Assembly requiring the North Carolina Attorney General to develop a uniform definition and model policy on the use of force that also must be approved by the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association and the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police.
In addition, the report focused on improving training standards that officer candidates must complete before becoming part of law enforcement. The recommendations include psychological screenings before any certification and regular screenings at least every three years following.
The report further recommends establishing into law the requirement for a law enforcement applicant's former agency to release prior personnel records and internal investigative files to any law enforcement agency screening a new hire.
Rockingham County Sheriff, Sam Page, was apart of the workgroup of N.C. Sheriffs who crafted the report. Page is also on the Executive Committee of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association.
“After the death of George Floyd, we as Sheriffs in North Carolina began to look inward and ask ourselves ‘What could we be doing better?’, and I think this report and the recommendations it contains helps to address that”, said Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page.
“We can always do better. I thank the North Carolina Sheriffs Association and my fellow Sheriffs in taking this initiative.”