Stone
Sheriff Mike Stone has announced this will be his last term as Lincoln Parish Sheriff.
Stone been the parish’s top law enforcement officer four terms. His current term will end July 1, 2020.
Stone graduated from Grambling State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and is also a graduate of the FBI Academy.
In 1977, Stone began his tenure with the Lincoln Parish Sheriff Department and was first elected to the position of Sheriff in 2003.
He was later re-elected in 2007, 2011 and 2015.
Stone said serving the Lincoln Parish community has been a prestigious honor he will always cherish.
“I felt an obligation to inform the citizens, and all our great Deputies and Volunteers of my intentions,” Stone said. “After much prayer and conversations with my Family, I have decided to retire at the end of this term on June 30, 2020.”
Stone has “deep roots” in Lincoln Parish.
He said serving and protecting the community is what he loves.
“The people of this parish have given me one of the most precious gifts anyone can receive and that is their trust and confidence,” Stone said. “Lincoln Parish is a wonderful place to live because of the people.”
Stone said he has served with a great team of deputies and volunteers for the past 42 years and that he believes that now is the perfect time for him to retire because he believes his department has attained the goals he has set for them during his time in service.
“We have established a very strong team of deputies and command staff who are more than capable of continuing the quality service our citizens expect and deserve,” Stone said.
Stone has accomplished many significant things during his time as Sheriff.
His accomplishments include enhancing enforcement of drugs by using programs such as LPNET, supervising improvements of the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and placing School Resource Deputies (SRO) in Lincoln Parish Schools to enhance the safety of students, faculty and administrators.
Stone was recently inducted into the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame.
This Hall of Fame honors superiors who have surpassed their peers in law enforcement, the judiciary system, the armed forces and those involved in civil rights initiatives.
Names mentioned as possible candidates to succeed Stone are LPSO deputies Chad Alexander, Jim Tuten and Stephen Williams as well as Randall Hermes, now Chief of the Louisiana Tech University Police and former Chief of the Ruston Police Department.