Mike Burnette is a native of Swain County and a graduate of Swain County High School in 1972. After spending two years at Western Carolina University, Mike left the area and moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 1974. Two years later, Mike began his career in the field of Criminal Justice on September 14, 1976 with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Department, Jacksonville, Florida. He served as a patrol officer working in racially diverse areas of Jacksonville during the next three years.

Mike returned to his area home in late 1979 and in January 1980 he was employed as a Deputy Sheriff with the Swain County Sheriff’s Department. He worked for a year and a half with the Sheriff’s Department before transferring to the Bryson City Police Department where he worked for the next three and a half years as a Police Officer. During this tenure at the Bryson City Police Department, Mike enrolled in a Certified Instructor’s Course at Southwestern Technical College in order to teach in the Basic Law Enforcement Training Course offered at STC. Mike became employed as a part-time instructor in 1983 teaching various skills courses at STC over the next seven years.

In July of 1984, Mike was appointed to the position of Magistrate in Swain County and continues to maintain that position to this date.

In January of 1986, after some prodding by a good friend, Mike returned to Western Carolina University to complete his degree. In December of 1988, Mike completed and graduated Summa Cum Laude from WCU with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. Maintaining the momentum to continue seeking a graduate degree, Mike enrolled in the Master of Public Affairs program in January 1989 and completed this degree in May 1992. In October of 1991, Mike was honored by the Southern Criminal Justice Association as Graduate Student of the Year in Montgomery, AL. In August 2001, Mike embarked on a new educational journey pursuing a doctoral degree. Mike successfully defended his dissertation on March 23, 2006 and earned a Doctorate in Adult and Community College Education through North Carolina State University.

Mike had the opportunity to apply for and acquire the position of Criminal Justice Department Chair at Southwestern Community College on November 1, 1990. He currently maintains that position at the college. During his tenure at SCC, Mike has been privileged to achieve a variety of distinctions. In 1993, Mike completed a series of study at the Washington, DC Metro Police Department and became certified as a Computer Voice Stress Analyst.

In 1994, the International Academy presented Mike with a Distinguished Case Writing Award for Case Studies. The award winning case study was entitled “The Thinnest Blue Line” and was published in the Journal of the International Academy of Case Studies.

In 1995, the North Carolina Criminal Justice Association honored Mike by presenting him with the Outstanding Criminal Justice Educator Award for that year.

In 1996, 1998, and 2006, Mike was selected for inclusion in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. A student of merit graduating from an academic program makes selection for this award.

Additionally, Mike was previously involved with The Preferred Edge, Inc. as Vice President of Research and Development. He also serves as President and Consultant of Burnette Consulting, Inc. Mike has had the pleasure of serving as a private consultant for various criminal justice agencies. He has been the program evaluator for the Buncombe County Day Reporting Center in 1996. Mike has also assisted Almont (MI) Police Department, Andrews Police Department, Clay County Sheriff’s Department, Crossville (TN) Police Department, East Rutherford (NJ) Police Department, and Kane County (IL) Sheriff’s Department as a Consultant for Problem-Solving Partnership Grants.

In addition to serving as the Criminal Justice Department Chair, Mike also serves as the Department Chair for the Cyber Crime Technology curriculum at SCC. The Cyber Crime Technology program is the first independent Associate’s Degree Program in Cyber Crime in the nation. Mike co-developed this curriculum with close friend and colleague, Kirk Stephens who teaches the Cyber Crime curriculum. Mike and Kirk have developed the on-line component courses for the entire Cyber Crime Technology curriculum that is currently being offered as an online curriculum at SCC.

Mike is married to Janet Kinsland Burnette, SCC’s Vice President of Administrative Services. Mike and Janet have a daughter, Hannah, who was born in July 2000. Mike also has one son, Kevin, who is a graduate of Appalachian State University.

Mike can be contacted at Southwestern Community College by calling 828.586.4091, ext. 276 or by email mikeb@southwesterncc.edu.

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