Pawnee County Sheriff Resigns From Position

The Pawnee County Sheriff is resigning effective at midnight Wednesday because he has a new job after losing the reelection.

Sheriff Darrin Varnell says he's not staying until the end of his term in January, because the job is an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

He says the undersheriff and about a dozen others also plan to leave Wednesday night.

Varnell says this new job unexpectedly came up over the weekend and is a big pay increase he couldn't refuse and because he starts his new job on Wednesday, he had to resign on Tuesday.

As for the others who plan to leave, he didn't want to give details.

Varnell says he knows leaving suddenly, before his term is up, puts the county in a tough spot but he says he had no choice.

"At the same time I have to look out for my family first," he said.

His undersheriff says three jailers, five deputies, two dispatchers, and the entire front office staff are also leaving.

Sheriff Varnell says he was told if he leaves, they leave.

"On one hand it makes feel good; at the same time, I feel bad for the people that are left and the incoming administration that's going to come into a very shorthanded department tomorrow," said Sheriff Varnell.

Pawnee County District Attorney Mike Fisher says the sheriff's office will be left with three deputies and one of them is on medical leave, so they only have two deputies working the entire county.

"For a brief second, I was a little surprised; part of being a district attorney is to try to address the situation as quickly as you can and when you're talking about public safety, we've got to do whatever we need to do to try to address that," he said.

During an emergency meeting on Tuesday, county commissioners appointed Sheriff-elect Shawn Price as the interim Sheriff and asked the police departments of Pawnee and Cleveland to help answer county calls until more deputies can be hired.

"I wish that it hadn't happened but once it did it didn't surprise me at all that everyone came together and that we moved quickly on this, I didn't expect anything less and they came through," said Fisher.

The DA says Shawn Price's first priority will be staffing the jail.

Price released the following statement:

"As most of you may have heard, Mr. Varnell elected to resign today effective midnight tonight.  

After the news segments today stating this fact and that several officers, jailers and staff are also electing to resign at the same time, I have seen post from citizens concerned that there will be no one to respond if needed.  

Through quick action by the county commissioners by an emergency meeting this afternoon I will be taking office early beginning tomorrow.  

I have made contact with the remaining staff and been assured that we have two officers and jail staff to respond to calls throughout the evening. Cleveland PD and Pawnee PD are assisting by responding to any calls tomorrow throughout the day. This will allow me to get into the office tomorrow and assess what assets are available and schedule future coverage.  

We will be running short staffed for awhile and you may not see alot of officers on patrol in the beginning but with the help of volunteers, Chief Stout and Chief Clymer we will respond to all calls.

Thanks to everyone involved and for your patience during this transition period."