Retiring Cartersville Police Chief To Run For Bartow Sheriff

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Just days before he’s officially set to retire as chief of the Cartersville Police Department, Thomas Culpepper has decided to try a new career as an elected official.

Culpepper, who goes by “Tommy” to close friends and family, has announced his plans to run for the office of Bartow County sheriff in 2016.

“I do not make this decision lightly,” Culpepper said Sunday in a statement on his campaign’s Facebook page. “I have given this matter over to much prayer and have consulted with those in whom I have implicit trust, prior to making this decision. I have also been approached by many in the community asking that I enter the race. It is my desire to be the kind of sheriff that is available, accountable and actively involved in the department.”

Culpepper said he plans to bring the skills he’s gained in the last 37 years in law enforcement to lead the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office. He also said he will “apply integrity, fidelity, fiscal restraint and professionalism in everything that I do.”

A retirement party was hosted by the city of Cartersville last week for Culpepper, whose official last day on the job is Nov. 25, The Daily Tribune News reports.

Culpepper also made headlines earlier this year in a plea to find a donor so he could undergo a kidney transplant.

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Image via Culpepper For Sheriff Facebook page