Richard Warner appointed Highland County Sheriff
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
The Highland County Republican Central Committee appointed Detective Sergeant Richard L. Warner, Jr. as Highland County Sheriff Tuesday night, following an executive session at their regularly scheduled November meeting.
Members of the Central Committee interviewed Warner and fellow candidate Sergeant Donald Barrera, both of the Highland County Sheriff's Office, during the executive session, which lasted approximately two hours and 15 minutes.
Committee members voted by ballot in open session and moved to appoint Warner, who received the majority of votes.
Votes were tallied by committee members Bill Fawley, Steve Hunter and Dean Otworth.
"I just thank you guys, and I look forward to serving as the sheriff," Warner said to the committee. "We'll continue to do a good job, as we have in the past. I look forward to any guidance or words that you could give. I will work hard to be elected, and I appreciate it."
Tentative plans were made to have a swearing-in ceremony for Warner at 8 a.m. Monday.
Committee chair Shane Wilkin closed the meeting by thanking members for their votes.
"I know this was a big decision and not an easy one," Wilkin said. "They're both excellent candidates, and we wish Richard the best of luck in his new position."
Warner has been working for the Highland County Sheriff's Office since June 1995, where he has served in many different capacities, including corrections officer, communications officer, road patrol officer and road patrol supervisor. Warner has most recently served as a supervisor in the detective division, where Warner said he was responsible for criminal, narcotic and major crime investigations. Warner also has worked as an agent with the regional US 23 Pipeline Major Crime/Narcotic Task Force since 2010. He was given the Top Cop Drug Buster of the Year Award in 2011.
[[In-content Ad]]
Prior to joining the Highland County Sheriff's Office, Warner worked as a patrolman for the Village of Lynchburg, starting in December 1993.
Warner is a Lynchburg-Clay graduate and graduated from the Ohio Peace Officer Training Council, Great Oaks, in Sharonville. He holds a law enforcement training certificate and a corrections basic training certificate and has taken a number of continuing education courses in such fields as drug and alcohol enforcement, school violence training, dispatch training, firearms training, investigations training and road patrol training.
Warner is a member of the Republican Club, Republican Executive Committee, Farm Bureau, Ohio Trustees Association and Hillsboro Rotary Club and is a board member of the Highland County Habitat For Humanity and Lynchburg Joint Fire/EMS District. He is the Community Crime Watch Program Coordinate at Rocky Fork Lake, Paint Township. Warner, a resident of Lynchburg, attends the Pricetown Church of Christ, where he serves on several different committees.
"I am excited and look forward to this new endeavor," Warner told The Highland County Press. "I will continue to serve the citizens of the county in a very professional and honest way."
Wilkin told The Highland County Press that the committee's decision was "extremely difficult."
"It's always tough in a small community when you know you're going to make one person very happy, and the other one's obviously not pleased with the results," Wilkin said.
"They were both excellent candidates, both longtime sheriff's employees, and we appreciate all their service. At this time, though, Richard Warner was able to win the majority of votes from the Central Committee, and I wish Richard the best of luck in his endeavors as sheriff."
Members of the Central Committee interviewed Warner and fellow candidate Sergeant Donald Barrera, both of the Highland County Sheriff's Office, during the executive session, which lasted approximately two hours and 15 minutes.
Committee members voted by ballot in open session and moved to appoint Warner, who received the majority of votes.
Votes were tallied by committee members Bill Fawley, Steve Hunter and Dean Otworth.
"I just thank you guys, and I look forward to serving as the sheriff," Warner said to the committee. "We'll continue to do a good job, as we have in the past. I look forward to any guidance or words that you could give. I will work hard to be elected, and I appreciate it."
Tentative plans were made to have a swearing-in ceremony for Warner at 8 a.m. Monday.
Committee chair Shane Wilkin closed the meeting by thanking members for their votes.
"I know this was a big decision and not an easy one," Wilkin said. "They're both excellent candidates, and we wish Richard the best of luck in his new position."
Warner has been working for the Highland County Sheriff's Office since June 1995, where he has served in many different capacities, including corrections officer, communications officer, road patrol officer and road patrol supervisor. Warner has most recently served as a supervisor in the detective division, where Warner said he was responsible for criminal, narcotic and major crime investigations. Warner also has worked as an agent with the regional US 23 Pipeline Major Crime/Narcotic Task Force since 2010. He was given the Top Cop Drug Buster of the Year Award in 2011.
[[In-content Ad]]
Prior to joining the Highland County Sheriff's Office, Warner worked as a patrolman for the Village of Lynchburg, starting in December 1993.
Warner is a Lynchburg-Clay graduate and graduated from the Ohio Peace Officer Training Council, Great Oaks, in Sharonville. He holds a law enforcement training certificate and a corrections basic training certificate and has taken a number of continuing education courses in such fields as drug and alcohol enforcement, school violence training, dispatch training, firearms training, investigations training and road patrol training.
Warner is a member of the Republican Club, Republican Executive Committee, Farm Bureau, Ohio Trustees Association and Hillsboro Rotary Club and is a board member of the Highland County Habitat For Humanity and Lynchburg Joint Fire/EMS District. He is the Community Crime Watch Program Coordinate at Rocky Fork Lake, Paint Township. Warner, a resident of Lynchburg, attends the Pricetown Church of Christ, where he serves on several different committees.
"I am excited and look forward to this new endeavor," Warner told The Highland County Press. "I will continue to serve the citizens of the county in a very professional and honest way."
Wilkin told The Highland County Press that the committee's decision was "extremely difficult."
"It's always tough in a small community when you know you're going to make one person very happy, and the other one's obviously not pleased with the results," Wilkin said.
"They were both excellent candidates, both longtime sheriff's employees, and we appreciate all their service. At this time, though, Richard Warner was able to win the majority of votes from the Central Committee, and I wish Richard the best of luck in his endeavors as sheriff."