Greg Ward Jr. is an American football quarterback for the Houston Cougars... (wikipedia)
I think a sheriff must be street smart. In smaller departments like Geneva County, the sheriff is the one to train the deputies.
In the past, I know a lot of people have been elected without any experience in law enforcement. Although this job is more administrative, the sheriff still must know what the law is.
For me, it's an honor for sure. I did not ever think a sheriff from Geneva County would be an officer of the state.
There is no way to give a new officer a higher salary for years of experience. This has become a problem filling these vacancies.