Jim Norton
Investigations Sergeant
Investigations Sergeant James Norton Joined the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office on September 27th 2004 as a Deputy. Sgt. Norton’s law enforcement career started at the Freeport Police Department on December 26, 2000. Sgt. Norton graduated from the Illinois State Police Basic Law Enforcement Academy (Class 400-70) and worked as a Patrol Officer for the Freeport Police Department.
Sgt. Norton left the Freeport Police Department in July 2003 to attend the Alaska Department of Public Safety Training Academy in Sitka, AK as a State Trooper Recruit (Class ALET 30). After graduating from the DPS Academy he attended field training at Fairbanks.
Sgt. Norton returned to Illinois in 2004 and joined the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office where he was first assigned to security at Highland Community College. In June of 2005 he was moved to the Investigations Division where he served until his promotion to Sergeant in December 2017. He served as a Patrol Sergeant until returning to investigations in November 2020. Sgt Norton has been a member of the Emergency Response Team since 2007, and was also a member the Law Enforcement Aviation Coalition/Air-One from 2007 – 2018 as a Senior Tactical Flight Officer/Senior Crew Chief. During his time with the aviation unit he received training in FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared), short haul and hoist operations.
Sgt. Norton’s certifications include Lead Homicide Investigator, Sexual Assault Investigator and SWAT Officer.
In addition to his law enforcement career Sgt. Norton served 4-years in the U.S. Air Force as a Weather Journeyman (1W051) with the 18th Weather Squadron assigned to Army support at Godman Army Airfield, Fort Knox KY. Sgt. Norton Graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a B.S. in Advanced Technical Studies and an A.A.S. in Computer Information Processing.
Sgt. Norton left the Freeport Police Department in July 2003 to attend the Alaska Department of Public Safety Training Academy in Sitka, AK as a State Trooper Recruit (Class ALET 30). After graduating from the DPS Academy he attended field training at Fairbanks.
Sgt. Norton returned to Illinois in 2004 and joined the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office where he was first assigned to security at Highland Community College. In June of 2005 he was moved to the Investigations Division where he served until his promotion to Sergeant in December 2017. He served as a Patrol Sergeant until returning to investigations in November 2020. Sgt Norton has been a member of the Emergency Response Team since 2007, and was also a member the Law Enforcement Aviation Coalition/Air-One from 2007 – 2018 as a Senior Tactical Flight Officer/Senior Crew Chief. During his time with the aviation unit he received training in FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared), short haul and hoist operations.
Sgt. Norton’s certifications include Lead Homicide Investigator, Sexual Assault Investigator and SWAT Officer.
In addition to his law enforcement career Sgt. Norton served 4-years in the U.S. Air Force as a Weather Journeyman (1W051) with the 18th Weather Squadron assigned to Army support at Godman Army Airfield, Fort Knox KY. Sgt. Norton Graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a B.S. in Advanced Technical Studies and an A.A.S. in Computer Information Processing.
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