New sheriff expects some personnel changes

“Most will be fine,” said Thomas. “When a new sheriff comes in, you’re going to have some people go.”

The sheriff-elect said it’s standard for there to be some new faces in a new administration but that he isn’t coming in with the intent of firing everyone.

“I’ve been hearing rumors and I hear that some are panicking, but if they just calm down, I think they’ll see it’s going to be better than what some of them are thinking,” said Thomas. “It’s not that I’m going to fire everybody.”

Thomas said he plans to have everyone under his watch reapply for their current jobs. This will include the sheriff’s office, the jail and 911 staff.

“Everybody will reapply,” he said. “It just helps us have a better overview of personnel. It will help us keep them straight.”

Thomas has already named his new captain, Shawn Burns, who worked with Thomas at the Oconee County Sheriff’s Department as a sergeant. Burns will replace Captain Mike Benner, who served under Sheriff Clayton Lowe.

Thomas is now enrolled in the 160-hour Sheriff’s Elect Academy in Forsyth, which will run through Dec. 12.