Andrew Co. sheriff wraps up nearly 40 year career with the department

Sheriff Bryan Atkins started working at the Andrew County Sheriff's Office in March of 1981, he said it all started with a desire to help people.

The new year also means a new chapter for the andrew county sheriff's department.

Yesterday was the first day of retirement for the county's longtime sheriff.

Kq2's ron johnson spoke with the sheriff about his time with the department overall a career spanning almost forty years <<ron johnson reportingnats ááatkins walking to sheriff's vehiclethis isn't just any old walk to sheriff's bryan atkins' patrol car, it's his last.as 2020 drew to a close thursday, so did sheriff atkins' career, one of service to andrew county.i completed 39 years and 10 months of service with the sheriff's officeatkins says his desire to help people led him to begin his career with the department in march of 1981.

He says in those days, it was a simpler time for sheriff's deputiesmy training was a three week academy, 120 hours and now police officers have to go through a six month training of you know 700 plus hours.most of his time with the department saw him holding multiple positionsworked my way from deputy dispatcher, did a little bit of court marshall or bailiff service, road patrol.fast forward to 2008 when atkins decided to run for sheriff, he ran three times for the job, two of which unopposed.

While serving as sheriff atkins says his greatest accomplishment was giving the county a brand new sheriff's office and jail facility.

While atkins took some criticism for the jail, he says it's been a benefit for the county.that was my goal, that goal was achieved, that goal still continues today, i'm sure it's going to continue on very well in the future.

Atkins says there've been many ups and downs in his time with the sheriff's department, but it's the people of both the department and the county, that have made him a better sheriff, so why is he walking away?

Atkins says it's simply just time to move onit was just time that i retire, didn't want to get to old to where i couldn't enjoy life a little bitand that's what atkins plans to do in his retirement, but not before one final goodbye and a final expression of gratitude790 would like to say thank you to everybody for what you did, as of now sheriff grant gillete is 790.

Thanks for whatever i'd done to earn the time that i was sheriff, and god bless everybody.

Ron johnson kq2 news former sheriff atkins says he plans to stay in the county, and spend more time with his family.