Sheriff’s office marks 150th year

Douglas County Sheriff’s officers are heading into the new year by reflecting on their department’s rich history.

The sheriff’s office is celebrating its 150th anniversary and officers are wearing new badges and shoulder patches to commemorate the occasion. They also are carrying a special commemorative coin as a reminder of the department’s commitment to public service.

“We’re excited,” Sheriff Ken McGovern said Friday as the badge, patch and coin were unveiled. “We’re just trying to let the public know that we’ve been in business for 150 years and we’re here to serve the public.”

The new badges are the traditional western sheriff’s six-point star, but are larger than the badges officers have been wearing for several years. It also has a silver-colored circle around it bearing the officer’s name. The shoulder patch is larger and triangle-shaped.

Lt. Doug Woods developed the badge and patch designs while researching the history of the department. The office originated on Aug. 27, 1855, when Samuel J. Jones, who also was a Westport, Mo., postmaster, became the county’s first sheriff.

Woods said he learned that the county’s second sheriff, William T. Sherrard, was killed in the line of duty when he got caught up in the pro-slavery and free-state violence. The department also had one woman who served. Gladys Johns took over the office when her husband, Sheriff Will Johns Jr., died in 1949. She served one year.

Douglas County Sheriff Ken McGovern displays items as part of the sheriff's office's 150th anniversary. Officers are wearing new badges and shoulder patches to recognize the occasion.

There are about seven years during the late 1890s and early 1900s where there is no available record of who served as sheriff, Woods found.

A private company in Utah made the commemorative badges and officers were given the option of purchasing them for $65 to wear in 2006, McGovern said. While some officers may wear the new badges beyond 2006, the shoulder patches are a permanent change in uniform, he said.

The coin is imprinted with the principles of the office, which include integrity, trust, public safety, excellence and teamwork.

“Each officer was asked to carry that with them at all times to remind them of what we are about and what we expect to give the public,” McGovern said.

During a news conference, McGovern showed off some of the badges and uniforms the department has worn over the years. Although the current uniform is French blue, in the 1960s officers wore tan shirts with yellow and green shoulder patches.

The sheriff’s office hopes to put together a display case of department uniforms, photographs and other memorabilia. If anyone has anything pertaining to the sheriff’s office that they want to share they can call Lt. Kari Wempe at 832-5204.