The Legal Counsel for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office provides legal advice and counsel to the Sheriff and Sheriff’s Office employees on a variety of legal matters regarding criminal, civil and administrative law.
The Legal Counsel serves as advisor to all deputies and detectives concerning arrest, search and seizure and other high liability issues. This office provides written legal opinions and legal updates for agency-wide dissemination relating to criminal matters, performs legal research on cases, court rulings and other laws affecting the operation of the law enforcement, the corrections and the administrative divisions of the agency. The Legal Advisor also conducts civil forfeiture litigation, serves as liaison to the District Attorney’s Office in criminal cases and to outside counsel in civil actions filed in federal and state courts, and serves as legal advisor to the Professional Standards Office on internal investigations. The legal office acts as an agency representative in employee discipline litigation, reviews and prepares agency policy and procedure, reviews public records requests, and monitors legislative activities in order to propose legislation needed to keep pace with contemporary changes in practice and procedure.
In addition, the Legal Counsel for the Sheriff’s Office conducts in-service training classes on various law enforcement topics such as arrests, search and seizure, civil liability, use of force, trial preparation, depositions and testifying in court.
The Legal Counsel is available on a 24 hour basis to respond to field situations having potential liability for the Sheriff’s Office such as deputy shootings, unusual occurrences or hostage incidents, and situations at the jail which result in serious injury or the death of a correctional officer or inmate.
Attorney – Andrew Porter – (910) 677-5481
Paralegal – Nicole Reinhardt – (910) 321-6764
* Contact us via Email.
Hours of Operation: M – F 8:00am – 5:00pm
After hour emergencies should contact the Watch Commander at (910) 677-5432