Catoosa County sheriff-elect Gary Sisk graduated from his preparation academy on Friday, Dec. 14, as he is slated to take over as the county’s top law enforcement officer on Jan. 1.

Sisk, a 20-year veteran of the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office, joined 43 other newly elected sheriffs who were required by the state to report to the month-long academy immediately after the general election held on Nov. 6 to be trained in topics they will face as the chief law enforcement officer of their county.

Sisk attended the training at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, with middle district assistant U.S. attorney Chuck Byrd giving the keynote graduation address and presenting the graduates with their diplomas on Dec. 14, the last day of the academy session.

The academy consisted of an intense 160-hour curriculum that included classroom instruction emphasizing the duties of the chief law enforcement officer of their county. The state constitution and the Georgia regulations specify many duties of the office of sheriff, including service as jail officers, court officers, law enforcement officers, and administrators.

Class sessions introduced new sheriffs to those responsibilities, while state and national experts also lectured the sheriffs-elect on the latest issues concerning jails, civil procedure, personnel, and liability issues.

“The office of sheriff, an office of great dignity, is tasked with many duties and responsibilities,” said J. Terry Norris, executive director of the Georgia Sheriff's Association. “I want to commend sheriff Sisk and the entire group for their commitment to perform their duties to the best of their ability in order to serve and protect the citizens of their counties.”

The course was initiated by the Georgia Sheriffs' Association in partnership with the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, who drafted legislation in 1976 requiring every newly elected sheriff to complete the course during their first term of office.

The training has evolved from a voluntary two-day seminar in 1960, into an intense four-week curriculum required by law.

Georgia was the first state to require training of newly elected sheriffs, although many states have since adopted such a mandate.

Sisk won his spot on the Republican ticket after defeating Larry Black in a special run-off election in August before capturing 95.4 percent of the Catoosa County vote in November's general election.

Sisk will be sworn into office on Dec. 31, and will take office Jan. 1.