Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree posted a goodbye message Tuesday on Facebook, expressing his hope that he had “left the profession better than I found it.”
Roundtree, who served as sheriff for 12 years, was defeated in a Democratic primary runoff earlier this year. Eugene “Gino Rock” Brantley will take over as sheriff at midnight Wednesday.
In his message, Roundtree thanked the residents of Richmond County for having the faith to elect him as the county’s first African American sheriff. He added that it was especially significant given that Georgia is “one of the original 13 colonies of what would eventually become the United States of America.”
“The past 12 years has been my greatest honor to serve you and my only hope is that in my 31 years in law enforcement, I have left the profession better than when I found it,” he said.
MORE: Brantley takes oath of office to serve as new Richmond County sheriff
In one of his last duties, Roundtree oversaw the agency’s Vegas-themed Christmas party, wearing a cowboy hat as he handed out awards for Deputy, Investigator, and Administrator of the Year, among other categories.
Although he declined multiple requests for a final interview, Roundtree reflected on his accomplishments in a November interview with WRDW-TV, where he expressed pride in modernizing the department with body-worn cameras and enhancing crime-solving with security cameras. He also pointed to crime statistics showing reductions in burglaries and home invasions.
