Major William Mitchell has been appointed as the new director of the Sheriffs’ Standards Division in North Carolina, according to an announcement by Attorney General Jeff Jackson. The division works with all 100 sheriffs across the state to oversee training and standards for law enforcement officers.
“Major Mitchell’s decades of service to the people of North Carolina are a testament to his character and his integrity,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “I’m thrilled that he is taking the helm of the Sheriffs’ Standards Division and leading our work with all 100 sheriffs in North Carolina. His law enforcement experience will help us do everything we can to have the best-trained, most committed public servants in law enforcement.”
Mitchell brings over three decades of experience in law enforcement. He began his career after completing basic law enforcement training at Wake Technical Community College in 1991. He served with the Youngsville Police Department from 1992 to 1994 before joining the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, where he held positions including Sergeant and Lieutenant over the Narcotics Division, Supervisor in Charge of Multi-Agency Narcotics Units, and Captain of the Uniform Patrol Division until 2014. Since 2019, he has worked with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office as part of its Criminal Investigations Division, later becoming Sergeant over its Narcotics Unit and then Major of Operations.
“I have been privileged to work alongside some of the best officers and deputies the state of North Carolina has ever produced,” said Major William Mitchell. “As director of the Sheriffs’ Standards Division, I’ll continue to follow the rule that has guided me throughout my law enforcement career: take care, be safe, and look after one another.”
Sheriff Alan Norman, Chair of the Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission, also welcomed Mitchell’s appointment. “Major Mitchell is a lifelong public servant whose experiences on the job will inform the work of the Sheriffs’ Commission to ensure our deputies and officers live up to the highest standards of the profession,” Norman said. “I congratulate him on the appointment and look forward to working with him.”
Outside his official duties, Mitchell holds a private investigator license since 2014 and investigates homicide cases for Indigent Defense Services in Raleigh. He also serves as a deacon at Louisburg Baptist Church and volunteers with Louisburg Fire Department.
