Long-serving small-town South Carolina sheriff retires
January 3, 2021 GMT
BAMBERG, S.C. (AP) — One of South Carolina’s longest-serving sheriffs is officially retiring Monday.
Ed Darnell spent 42 of his 48 years in law enforcement leading the Bamberg County sheriff’s office.
Darnell, 84, only had to fire a gun once during his long tenure, a warning shot fired into the air, WIS-TV reports.
Darnell told the station that he’s aged out of the role, citing changes like the use of computers. He declined to run for re-election in 2020.
The outgoing sheriff says he maintained peace by using his personal relationships with the community, connections that he’ll miss in retirement.