Clarke County Sheriff Todd Kemp announces plans to retire

QUITMAN, Miss. (WTOK) - Clarke County Sheriff Todd Kemp will be retiring at the end of his current term. Kemp told his department in a Monday meeting that he will not seek re-election in 2023.

“The community has been great to me. I served here 6 terms. I made history by being the only 3rd-term (sheriff) elected here. To be able to serve 6 terms, the people have taken care of me. We tried returning that favor. I have some of the best staff members that anybody can ask for. They have really supported me,” said Kemp.

Kemp started his career as a dispatcher in 1979. He later went to the law enforcement academy and became a deputy in 1988. He was a chief deputy for eight years, then later became sheriff in 2000.

“I grew up in a law enforcement family. My father was the chief of police here in Quitman for about 40 years. I grew up in that atmosphere. I never thought I would be involved in it as a teenager because I was like everybody else. I was wanting to get out of high school to find a job and go to work. I worked for the sheriff’s office in the late 70s as a dispatcher. I got attached to the blue lights, sirens and that kind of stuff,” said Kemp.

Kemp has some advice for the future sheriff of Clarke County.

“The main thing is whoever gets elected is to try to take care of the people; that is the main thing. People want to feel like they are safe. They want to feel like their property is safe when they leave to go home or to work. They want somebody out there working trying to keep their property safe. Whomever that sheriff is, they got to be a strong advocate for illegal drugs,” said Kemp.

Kemp’s last day will be Dec. 21, 2023. He was first elected sheriff in November 1999 and assumed office in January 2000.

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