Memberships into the Sheriff’s Association of Texas (SAT) are being mailed out through their headquarters in Austin. The SAT is one of the oldest law enforcement associations in the nation. The Sheriffs’ Association of Texas met for the first time on August 14, 1874, in the courthouse in Corsicana, Navarro County, Texas. The meeting was called to order by Sul Ross, Sheriff of McLennan County, who later became a notable part of Texas history.
The Sheriffs began annual training conferences in 1878. These training conferences today are the largest composite gathering of law enforcement officers in Texas. Sheriffs and other county and local law enforcement officers, federal and state officers, and major industry security personnel attend.
The Office of Sheriff in Texas was created by the Texas Constitution. There are 254 Counties in Texas and each county has a Sheriff. By statutes, the Sheriff is a Texas peace officer, a conservator of the peace, enforces the criminal laws of the State, and is responsible for the county jail, bail bonds, civil process, and security of the courts. In some small counties the Sheriff is also the tax collector.
The Office of Sheriff is one of the oldest offices known to our system of jurisprudence. Sheriffs are elected to office and serve for a four-year term. The sizes of Texas Sheriff’s offices are as diverse as the population of their counties.
“I am so grateful for the citizens of Shelby County who continue to support the Sheriff’s Association,” stated Shelby County Sheriff Kevin Windham.
If you are interested in joining the SAT and did not receive membership paperwork in the mail, or if you would like to renew your membership, visit https://www.sheriffstx.org/membership and follow the instructions on the screen.