CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C.,None — The new Cleveland County sheriff said he wants to regain the public's trust after a series of issues involving the department.
Alan Norman declared a day of change as he was sworn in on Monday.
"It is a new day for the Cleveland County Sheriff's Department," Norman said.
Sheriffs in North Carolina have the power to fire any worker without reason, but Norman said he plans to give that up. He wants to create a citizens' review board that would be able to overturn the decision to fire an employee.
"It's not about power," Norman said. "It is about doing what is right for the men and women in law enforcement."
He added: "If I terminate a deputy sheriff, that deputy has a course of appeal. The citizens review board can actually overrule me."
A few weeks ago, when Norman was sheriff-elect, his political opponent, Sheriff Raymond Hamrick, fired him and members of his transition team. That led to the coroner, who is legally next in line, to fill in when Hamrick retired early.
County Commission Board Chairman Johnny Hutchins said the county is trying to get past that incident.
"We are not looking back at it," he said.
Hutchins said he welcomes a review board.
"I think it's going to help the morale of the whole department," he said.
Still, creating the board doesn't change the law. The sheriff still has the power to fire without cause, according to the North Carolina Sheriff's Association.
Norman said creating the board is one of a series of policies he will add in coming weeks.
Previous Stories: November 30, 2010: Coroner Temporarily Steps In As Cleveland County Sheriff November 15, 2010: Cleveland Co. Sheriff Defends Decision To Fire Sheriff-Elect