The Edmonson County sheriff has announced he is retiring early.
The Edmonson Voice on Monday published a letter Sheriff Shane Doyle presented to Edmonson County Fiscal Court indicating his intention to retire on November 30.
Doyle, who was defeated in the May primary by James Edward Vincent, was first elected sheriff eight years ago. According to his letter, he began his law enforcement career in 2004 in Edmonson County.
In his letter, Doyle said the reasons for his early retirement are the loss of deputies, and the need for Vincent to hire new law enforcement personnel as soon as possible.
“All of the patrol deputies have resigned and found employment elsewhere,” he said. “With my resignation, the incoming administration can begin hiring and putting officers back on the road, easing pressure on the county and on other police agencies that have been offering assistance.”
K105 recently profiled former Edmonson County deputies and a special deputy who transitioned to Grayson County law enforcement, as Wally Ritter and Andy Cast (who is currently attending the police academy) joined the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office while Jordan Jones is now an officer with the Clarkson Police Department.
A fourth law enforcement officer who formerly worked for the Brownsville Police Department, Tamara Jupin, now works for the Leitchfield Police Department.
The entirety of Doyle’s letter to Edmonson County Fiscal Court, as published by The Edmonson Voice, can be found below:
To the Edmonson County Fiscal Court and the people of Edmonson County,
I want to say “thank you” for the opportunity to have served as your sheriff for the last 8 years, and as a deputy in various roles for the 10 years prior. When I began my law enforcement career in 2004, I expected to work about a year for the sheriff’s office and then move on to “bigger and better” things. I quickly learned that policing at home, while having many challenges, was also incredibly rewarding. I had offers to go to other departments and make more money with better benefits and better equipment, but nothing was as meaningful to me as helping the people I cared about most.
I am proud of my career and the good that I was able to accomplish along the way. Of course, the only reason I could be successful is because of the people with which I surrounded myself and the support that I was given throughout the years. I want to publicly thank the following: First and foremost, the Almighty God for his grace and protection for me, my deputies, and our county; my wife Jessica and children Preston and Marian, for their unwavering support and understanding when the phone would ring and wake BOTH of us up, and when daddy didn’t show up to the holiday, church service, school function, or many, many bedtimes. My parents Steve and Debbie, and my brothers, Darren and Dustin, who always encouraged me and occasionally kicked my tail when needed; to my deputies, office staff, and court security officers: Thank you and your families for your loyalty and dedication to me and the profession, and thank you to our other government officials, with whom I enjoyed working.
The job of sheriff is, without a doubt, the most difficult job in county government. I don’t say this with animosity or regret, or to minimize any other office, but to remind you that the expectations on your county sheriff are vast and complicated. I urge the community to understand the pressures that are placed on the county sheriff, but also continue to expect the best and hold your new sheriff to the highest standard. l ask the citizens to be patient as we transition the office to the new administration. With change inevitably comes challenges. I will be retiring from the sheriff’s office as of November 30th. I’m especially proud that I will be the first person in our county’s history to have retired from law enforcement having served my entire career with the Edmonson County Sheriff’s Office. I feel that it best serves my family, as well as the county, if I go ahead and retire. All of the patrol deputies have resigned and found employment elsewhere. With my resignation, the incoming administration can begin hiring and putting officers back on the road, easing pressure on the county and on other police agencies that have been offering assistance.
I want nothing but the best for our county and all the newly elected officials. I am and will always be a resident of Edmonson County, because it is quite simply the greatest place to live on Earth. To paraphrase a quote used many times by George Washington, taken from the book of Micah, I’m looking forward to sitting under my own vine and fig tree in retirement, and entrusting the safety and protection of the county in the hands of the people’s next choice for county sheriff.
Sincerely,
Shane A. Doyle
Edmonson County Sheriff, serving January 5, 2015 – November 30, 2022
(Photo: Edmonson Co. Sheriff Shane Doyle, courtesy of Facebook)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
