National Sheriffs' Association
Encyclopedia
The National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) is a U.S. trade association
Trade association
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...

 dedicated to raising the level of professionalism among U.S. sheriffs, their deputies and others in the fields of criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...

 and public safety
Public Safety
Public safety involves the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety of the general public from significant danger, injury/harm, or damage, such as crimes or disasters .-See also:* By nation...

. Since its founding in 1940, NSA has been the one voice of the nation's sheriffs in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 As one of the largest law enforcement organizations in the country, NSA is the leading advocate on law enforcement, criminal justice and public safety issues. Its Government Affairs Division, in conjunction with the Congressional Affairs Committee, develops the Association's policy positions and represents the Association before the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

, the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...

, and the various federal agencies.

A sheriff generally serves as the highest, usually elected, law enforcement officer of a county. Over 99% of the nation's sheriffs are elected. The political election of a person to serve as a law enforcement leader is a uniquely American tradition. The practice has been followed in the British Channel Island of Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...

 since at least the 16th Century.

Purpose

The NSA provides resources, technical assistance, opportunities for professional development, information, congressional advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...

, to criminal justice practitioners. Its annual conferences provide networking opportunities
Social network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...

, discussion, review and formation of the Association's national policy positions on critical criminal justice and homeland security issues, and training and seminars for the Nation's sheriffs and sheriff deputies. During the 2009 Annual Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano is the third and current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She is the fourth person to hold the position, which was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the 21st...

 gave the keynote address focusing on the Department's law enforcement priorities including border security and immigration. Nominee of Republican Party for President, Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....

, delivered his crime speech as the Keynote Speaker at the 2008 Annual Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...

.

Chartered in 1940, the NSA represents over 3,000 elected sheriffs nationwide and has a membership of over 22,000. Its headquarters is in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...

.

History

The Articles of Incorporation for NSA were filed on September 26, 1940, with the Ohio Secretary of State.

The National Sheriffs' Association badge has heraldic significance. The shield denotes defense, protection, and faith. The mace denotes authority. The olive wreath denotes peace. The circle surrounding the emblem denotes eternity. The five points of the star denote friendship, guidance, honesty, integrity, and merit.

Key Programs

  • Neighborhood Watch
    Neighborhood Watch
    A neighborhood watch or neighbourhood watch , also called a crime watch or neighborhood crime watch, is an organized group of citizens devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a neighborhood...

     is one of the oldest and most effective crime prevention programs in the country, bringing citizens together with law enforcement to deter crime and make communities safer. Sponsored by the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA), Neighborhood Watch can trace its roots back to the days of colonial settlements, when night watchmen patrolled the streets. The modern version of Neighborhood Watch was developed in response to requests from sheriffs and police chiefs who were looking for a crime prevention program that would involve citizens and address an increasing number of burglaries. Launched in 1972, Neighborhood Watch counts on citizens to organize themselves and work with law enforcement to keep a trained eye and ear on their communities, while demonstrating their presence at all times of day and night. (The program took off quickly: in just ten years, NSA data showed that 12 percent of the population was involved in a Neighborhood Watch.)

  • National Sheriffs' Institute (NSI) boasts one of the nation's most respected training opportunities available for new sheriffs. Originally conceived in 1973 by the late Ferris E. Lucas and enabled by a grant from the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, the NSI was established in response to an expressed need by sheriffs to meet the rapidly changing demands of the office. Through several years of development and research conducted by the University of Southern California's School of Public Administration, a two-week program designed uniquely for first-term sheriffs was developed to enhance and develop the executive leadership skills of the sheriff.

Leadership

Its Executive Director is Aaron D. Kennard, former President of NSA and sheriff of Salt Lake County, Utah
Salt Lake County, Utah
Salt Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It had a population of 1,029,655 at the 2010 census. Its county seat and largest city is Salt Lake City, the state capital. It occupies Salt Lake Valley, as well as parts of the surrounding mountains, the Oquirrh Mountains to the west...

. The 2010-2011 President of the Association is Sheriff Paul H. Fitzgerald of Story County, Iowa
Story County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 89,542 in the county, with a population density of . There were 36,789 housing units, of which 34,736 were occupied.-2000 census:...

.

See also

  • Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
    Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
    The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., is a credentialing authority , based in the United States, whose primary mission is to accredited public safety agencies, namely law enforcement agencies, training academies, communications centers, and campus public safety...



External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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