A retirement reception was held Tuesday to recognize three county leaders who are retiring at the end of December. One of those retirees is Caldwell County Sheriff Chris Noel who will be wrapping up a career in law enforcement. That career spans over 25 years with the last 21 years being a part of the local sheriff’s department. When he leaves he plans on taking some time and exploring his options for the future.
click to download audioNoel graduated from Caldwell County High School in 1987 and began working as a mechanic then moved on to factory work in Hopkinsville. While working he started taking classes at Hopkinsville Community College studying Criminal Justice. That interest lead him to be appointed as a special deputy sheriff by then-Sheriff Jerry Adams. A special deputy held the same law enforcement authority as a sworn officer but without pay. That was his way of learning more about the operation of the sheriff’s department. He would also be known to ride along with the Princeton Police Department learning from them too.
In 1996 he decided his next step would be to attend the state law enforcement police academy to be certified as a law enforcement officer. The unique situation was the county did not have the funds to send him at the time so he undertook this training at his own expense. He was responsible for his own fees, travel, meals and lodging which normally was paid for by a law enforcement agency to secure a certified officer. Upon graduating from the academy he was hired by the Eddyville Police Department in 1997 and spent 13 months there before transferring to the Princeton Police Department where we worked for just over 2 years. In March 2001 Sheriff Stan Hudson hired Noel to be a deputy for the local sheriff’s office where he has worked for the past 21 years serving as Chief Deputy for 13 years before being appointed Sheriff six months ago.
Noel shared some of the highlights of his time as a Deputy Sheriff.
click to download audioHe has also seen some difficult times.
click to download audioNoel doesn’t see major differences between serving as a deputy or as the actual Sheriff.
click to download audioNoel is grateful for the support of his coworkers and the community.
click to download audioSheriff Noel at age 53 is retiring with full benefits as a result of his time serving this County. After he has been able to enjoy some rest and time off he will decide if retirement is right for him or if he wants to get back to work in some form.
The retirement reception for Sheriff Noel, Caldwell County Clerk Toni Watson, and Judge-Executive Larry Curling was held in the Fiscal Courtroom at the courthouse. We will have stories about Watson and Curling in the coming days.
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