When the votes were tallied from all of Utah’s 29 sheriffs at the 2018 Utah Sheriff’s Association Law Enforcement and Corrections Training Conference, the award for “Sheriff of the Year for the State of Utah” went to Grand County Sheriff Steven White.
The annual Utah Sheriff’s Association conference is held to recognize individual members of sheriff’s offices for meritorious and distinguished service.
Grand County Deputy Sheriff Austin Brewer was awarded “Gold Medal of Valor” for his actions related to an incident that involved an armed suspect on August 1, 2017. Adding to that honor was the presence of Sergeant Curt Brewer, the father of Austin, and a veteran of 36 years with the Grand County Sheriff’s Office.
The conference was held in St. George on Sept. 23-25, and was attended and represented by the 29 Utah county sheriffs and members of those offices. The attendance at the 2018 conference was estimated to have surpassed 800.
White was also recognized for his leadership and distinguished service as president of the Utah Sheriff’s Association. The conference constitutes the forum for the passing of the gavel to the newly elected president of the Utah Sheriff’s Association.
White, who served as president of the Utah Sheriff’s Office from 2017 to 2018, passed the torch to the newly elected president, Tooele County Sheriff Paul Wimmer.
When asked to reflect on that year-long commitment, White said that it was an honor to have served as president, and referenced a previous president of the association by stating that the goal during his tenure was and will continue to be providing a commitment to protecting the public, keeping the trust of the community and promoting and providing the necessary training for the members of his office.
The conference not only provided the opportunity for all members to participate in social activities such as a golf tournament and a pistol competition, but also maintained the conference’s most important goal of promoting and committing to pride, professionalism and education within the office of sheriff and all law enforcement.
Topics and training at the 2018 conference revolved around a central theme that is at the forefront of law enforcement and public concern, including terrorism, active shooters, mass casualty incidents and officer ethics and integrity.
Presenters ranged from the keynote speaker Green Beret Commander Mark Nutsch, who led a U.S. Special Forces covert mission into Afghanistan depicted in the movie “12 Strong,” to a presentation on the Las Vegas mass casualty incident.
White receives “Sheriff of the Year for the State of Utah” award
