Escambia County; qualifications of the sheriff further provided for

Stricter rules for Escambia County sheriffs

Beginning June 1, 2026, Escambia County sheriff candidates and appointees must meet these requirements, alongside other qualifications required by law. They must be U.S. citizens and eligible voters, with county residency and county voter registration throughout the year immediately before qualifying. They must have a high school diploma or GED and be at least 25 before qualifying. They need at least three years of prior full-time law-enforcement service with arrest authority, certified by the Alabama Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission. Anyone retired or separated from that certified full-time service for more than one year must regain full-time active certification before qualifying. Anyone who has ever retired from active law enforcement also needs at least three years of full-time law-enforcement service after retirement. They must never have an Alabama felony conviction or a conviction elsewhere for an offense considered a felony in Alabama. Upon election, the sheriff must complete at least 12 hours of executive-level continuing education each year. This education must be approved by the Alabama Sheriff’s Association, National Sheriff’s Association, or another recognized executive-level law-enforcement education program.