Celese Sharbutt has been named the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office Deputy of the Year.

The 26-year-old Danville native is the first of her family to pursue a career in law enforcement – a career she said she is passionate about.

After high school she took her education to the next level at Wallace State Community College, where she played basketball and studied criminal justice.

“I began my career with Morgan County in January 2018 as a corrections officer with one goal in mind: to become a patrol deputy for the sheriff’s office,” Sharbutt said. “Eager to learn, I quickly joined the reserve deputy program, where I spent most of my time riding on patrol with Capt. (Perry) Shands after working my 12-hour shift in the jail. This allowed me to see firsthand what life was like on patrol.

“It did not take long to know this was the career I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

Sharbutt was selected to go to the Law Enforcement Academy in Tuscaloosa and spent 13 weeks there, graduating in July 2019.

“I knew coming into this career as a female that it wasn’t going to be easy,” she added. “After completing my Field Training Program, I began to work night shift on patrol.

“I quickly discovered an interest in narcotics because I saw their destructive grip on families. Although it is nearly impossible to confiscate all the drugs in the county, any amount makes a huge difference to me, as I grew up seeing their negative effect on people’s lives.”

Sharbutt said she is a firm believer in proactive policing, and while narcotics has been her focus thus far, it is not the only thing that excites her about her career.

“I am eager to go to work every day and answer every call for service to the best of my ability,” she said. “I am truly passionate about what I do, and it’s very exciting to be able to make even the slightest difference.

“I love serving the people of Morgan County, and I will do so with honor and integrity for the remainder of my career.

“Many calls for help, arrests and vehicle and foot pursuits later, I am thankful to be here, and I am so blessed God has given me the skills, ability and opportunity to serve and protect Morgan County,” she said. “I am and will forever be grateful.”