LILLINGTON, N.C. (WNCN) — Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins resigned on Monday afternoon and a new sheriff was chose until an election is planned in 2018, according to documents from county leaders.
Rollins, who has been sheriff since 2002, submitted a letter of resignation and signed it.
In a document from the Harnett County Board of Commissioners, Rollins told county leaders in a Feb. 9 closed meeting that he intended to resign on Monday at 5 p.m.
“I sincerely thank all the citizens of this great county who have supported my tenure,” Rollins said in a resignation letter. “I am eternally grateful for the experiences, which are truly some of the highlights of my 40-year career in law enforcement,” he added.
“I thank all the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office staff for their dedication to their jobs and their support of my efforts as Sheriff,” Rollins also wrote.
The board selected Major Wayne Coats to serve out the remainder of Rollins’ elected term.
The next election for sheriff will be Nov. 6, 2018.
Coats has 20 years of experience with the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office.
No reason was given for Rollins’ resignation.
County leaders did make a statement in support of Coats.
“In selecting Maj. Coats as sheriff, the board considered his 22 years of law enforcement experience with 20 of those years spent with the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, first as a deputy assigned to Campbell University and then as an employee working his way up through the Sheriff’s Office, as well as the level of respect that other members of the Sheriff’s Office have for him, and his dedication to serving the citizens of Harnett County,” the county commissioners said in a press release.
“We look forward to working with Sheriff Coats, and we thank Sheriff Rollins for his service and wish him well,” they added.