TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Shawnee County Sheriff Richard Barta will resign next week, after a 44-year law enforcement career.
Barta, who has been sheriff for 12 years, had planned to stay on the job until next January. But he announced Tuesday that he will retire on April 20.
He said he was retiring to help his current undersheriff, Herman Jones, who has announced that he would run for sheriff this year.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports federal law would require either Barta or Jones to vacate their positions to allow Jones to legally run in the election.
The Republican precinct committee will select a candidate to forward to the governor, who will appoint someone to serve the remaining months of Barta’s term.
