In TX the Sheriff still has to come through the Academy if he/she isn't certified.
Our prior local sheriff was a retired USAF general who did get state certified. She is now the U.S. Marshal for our judicial district.
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I’ve found that the majority of those in law enforcement upper administration don’t have any police experience.
One of the world's worst sheriffs, Willis McCall, was a fruit inspector before he was elected.
And he then set a record of railroading, brutality, racism, corruption, and outright nastiness that is still talked about today.
second result for google search "Air Force General Sheriff"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Pamerleau
The only surprise is she won a term as a republican sheriff in a traditionally Dem County.
The sheriff of a county with 2 million people is an administrator running a large jail and court system not Walker TX Ranger. It's actually a very logical fit. Better than an attorney.
Similarly, the U.S. Marshal for a judicial district with multiple large cities is a political appointee and administrator, not Sam Gerard.