Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday named Surry County Sheriff Graham H. Atkinson, a Democrat, to serve on the North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission.

Atkinson is president of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, which publicly supported provisions in House Bill 2 that prevented a person of one gender from using the bathroom assigned to another gender.

Then-Gov. Pat McCrory shared a news video clip of that decision with his nearly 245,000 Facebook followers during his re-election campaign. Cooper has been a frequent and intransigent opponent of H.B. 2.

Atkinson has served as Surry County Sheriff since 2006. He previously served as a deputy, detective, narcotics investigator, and chief of detectives.

“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,” Cooper said of his pick.

According to the Mount Airy News, Atkinson announced Monday at the Surry County Board of Commissioners meeting that he accepted the post on the Parole Commission. He tendered his resignation effective April 28, after which he will join the Parole Commission.

“While leaving the sheriff’s office is certainly one of the most difficult decisions I have ever faced, I am certain that this is the direction in which the Lord is leading me,” Atkinson said in his resignation letter, which was read aloud at the meeting.

In a subsequent interview with the Mount Airy News, Atkinson said Cooper called Atkinson’s cell phone to ask him to join his administration. He said Cooper’s unexpected offer hit him “like a left hook.”  

Aside from his role leading the Sheriffs’ Association, Atkinson was elected to two terms on the Surry County Board of Education, and served three years as chairman. He 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. It determines responses to violations of parole and post-release supervision. By majority vote the commission decides whether to grant parole for inmates who meet eligibility requirements established in North Carolina law.

The four members of the Commission are appointed by the governor.