Governor Roy Cooper today named Sheriff Graham H. Atkinson of Surry County to serve on the North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission.
“With more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement Sheriff Atkinson will be an asset to the Parole Commission, and I’m confident he’ll continue to serve the cause of justice well in this new role,” said Governor Cooper.
Sheriff Atkinson has served as Surry County Sheriff since 2006 and previously served as a deputy, detective, narcotics investigator and chief of detectives. He plans to retire as Sheriff on April 28 and will assume his position on the Parole Commission afterwards.
Atkinson currently serves as the president of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association. He was elected to two terms on the Surry County Board of Education and served three years as chairman. Atkinson is a graduate of Surry Community College and Gardner Webb University.
The North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission sets the terms of post-release supervision for all inmates leaving the state prison system and determines responses to violations of parole and post-release supervision. The commission also makes decisions about parole for inmates who meet eligibility requirements established in North Carolina law.
The four members of the Commission are appointed by the Governor. The majority of the Commission must agree to approve or deny parole for eligible offenders.