Mark Luttrell was named Nation's Best Sheriff

Last week Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell was named Nation's Best Sheriff. This is a top honor for Shelby County if you listen or read the latest news about Shelby County’s largest city, Memphis. The Sheriff is the highest ranking law enforcement officer in the county. The Sheriff’s Office works in partnership with all law enforcement agencies throughout the 775 square miles of Shelby County.

Sheriff Luttrell’s first job after college was teaching history at Bradford County High School, Starke, Florida. He served two years in the Army, stationed in Louisiana, Texas and Germany. Returning to Memphis. Sheriff Mark Luttrell began his career in corrections as Public Information Officer and Vocational Training Director at the Shelby County Penal Farm (1972-1977). In 1979, he became Executive Assistant to the warden and later education supervisor at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, where he remained until 1984. From 1985-1988, he worked for the U.S, Bureau of Prisons as Chief of Labor Management Relations. From 1989 to 1999, he was warden at three federal prisons, in Texarkana, Kentucky, and Memphis. Upon his retirement in 1999, he was appointed Director of the Shelby County Division of Corrections, serving there until his election as Sheriff in 2002. Re-elected to his second term in 2006, Sheriff Luttrell has worked hard to ensure that integrity is maintained within the department and fiscal responsibility is continually exercised.

The National Sheriffs Association chose Luttrell, among other reasons, for his success at getting the men's and women's jails and the medical facilities accredited nationally. The award will be given out in June in Florida. Shelby County's top lawman got a nod from his peers as the best in the nation. Sheriff Mark Luttrell is Sheriff of the Year for 2009.

Mark Luttrell was named Nation's Best Sheriff