Nation’s longest-serving sheriff, first elected to GA county in 1972, dead at 92

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — Houston County Sheriff Cullen Talton, 92, died at his home on Saturday morning, his office confirmed.

The sheriff’s office announced on Saturday that the sheriff passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by his family.

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According to the Georgia Republican Party, Talton has served as Houston County’s sheriff since he was first elected in 1972, making him the longest-serving sheriff in the U.S.

They say he spent his more than five decades in office raising millions of dollars for the Georgia Sheriff’s Children’s Home.

“Talton will be remembered amongst his peers for his longevity and innovation, but also for his charitable heart,” they wrote in a statement.

Governor Brian Kemp took to his account on X to post a tribute to the longtime sheriff.

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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Talton planned to retire at the end of the year.

“I didn’t know I would be here this long,” Talton told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an interview earlier this year. “I wish I could stay here another 10 years. But I can’t. My health won’t let me. I guess … it’s time to do something else. I’m gonna miss this place.”

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