Adams County Sheriff Tommy Ferrell was sworn in as the incoming president/first vice president of the National Sheriff’s Association Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

He will hold that position for the next year and is on track to be elected as its president next year.

He is the first sheriff from Mississippi to reach that level in the association.

&uot;It’s a tremendous honor for our state, for me personally and for Natchez and Adams County,&uot; Ferrell said.

The National Sheriff’s Association was holding its annual conference this week in Broward County, Fla.

The association is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia and is made up of more than 20,000 members nationwide including 3,076 sheriffs.

As incoming president/vice president, Ferrell said he would be working closely with Sheriff John Biddick of Monroe, Ga., the association’s current president.

&uot;He and I will trade off a lot of duties,&uot; Ferrell said. &uot;I’m kind of in a training mode to take over the organization.&uot;

Once he is elected president next year, Ferrell wants to dispel concerns that he will no longer be the sheriff of Adams County.

&uot;In order to be the president of the National Sheriff’s (Association) you have to be a seated sheriff,&uot; Ferrell said. &uot;I don’t want people to think I’m leaving or I’m not going to be the sheriff anymore.&uot;

Ferrell has been involved with the association since he was elected Adams County sheriff in 1988.

As part of his involvement, Ferrell said he spent a great deal of a time of improving the image of the office of sheriff and law enforcement across the nation.