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A 91-year-old Sheriff has said he will hand over his badge after more than 50 years as a Georgia county’s top lawman, making him the longest-serving cop in the state.

Houston County Sheriff Cullen Talton has confirmed he won’t be seeking reelection in 2024 and will be stepping down at the end of his term. 

The former dairy farmer, who was born in 1932, was first elected to the role of Sheriff in 1972 after also having worked as the county commissioner. 

Houston County commissioners called Talton the longest-serving sheriff not only in Georgia, but in the United States, when they honored him earlier this week. 

The sheriff, now over fifty years into the position, said he still likes his job but would be handing over his badge soon, saying; ‘I enjoy what I’m doing. I enjoy people. It’s time for me to hang it up, so I won’t be rut again,

Houston County Sheriff Cullen Talton, pictured here, has now said he will step down from the role next year after over 50 years 

The sheriff, pictured here in his younger days, was first elected to the role of Sheriff in 1972 after also having worked as the county commissioner

When Talton took the reins of the department in 1972, he was responsible for just 28 employees, a number which has climbed to over 300. 

Talton was elected in 1966 and took office the following year as the county commissioner. 

In his second term as commissioner however, he left and said he saw a need for professional law enforcement in the Sheriff’s office. 

His campaign promise at the time was that he would be professional, despite never having worked in law enforcement before. 

At the time, the county’s population was about 63,000 people. It now has nearly 170,000.

During the early days he had his first experience of murder, which he said was a big deal for him having never been involved with law enforcement. 

In a previous interview with Mike Chaloult, of the Digital Library of Georgia, the Sheriff said: ‘We had quite a time solving that one, we had quite a few since then. 

‘We’ve got three unsolved murders over forty years. ‘

During the interview, Talton also recalled how he once pulled a driver over and completely unaware to him, the car was situated over railway tracks. 

As the Sheriff exited his own vehicle to check the license plate a train whistle blew in the distance, and the driver fled the scene. 

He recalled: ‘I get out to check the license, I heard the train whistle blow and he just took off and left me standing there. I had the train in-between me and him. 

Laughing, he added: ‘We got a good look at him so we caught him later down the line, that was sort of embarrassing.’ 

On Tuesday, leaders and community members gathered  at the Houston County Annex at a meeting to honor the long-time sheriff. 

Among those who attended the ceremony honoring Talton earlier this week were two of his great-grandchildren, including 12-year-old Ellie Talton.

When Talton took the reins of the department in 1972, he was responsible for just 28 employees, a number which has climbed to over 300

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She told 13WMAZ: ‘He’s done an amazing job and deserves every bit of the credit,I just love how much he is just not wanting to receive the credit, that he’s giving it to others.

‘That’s just had a big impact on me. He’s always been the peacekeeper of the family.

‘He’s just such a role model to me. The way he always loves everybody, and how he always wants to serve. 

‘It just impacted not just me but the whole county as a whole. Just to love others and to serve others, not just on the county level 

Chairman Dan Perdue said: ‘I think if there’s one word I would use to describe Sheriff Talton it is ‘servant’ because he has been a servant of this community and a servant of the public for so long.’

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk

Content source – www.soundhealthandlastingwealth.com

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