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Maxwell looks back on 22 years as sheriff
After 22 years as the parish's top law enforcement officer, Sheriff Randy Maxwell, 61, will give up his job on June 30 in exchange for retirement and what he hopes will be a less stressful life.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed it, but it's time for me to move on," he said.
Maxwell announced last June that he would not seek re-election. He's served five and one-half terms.
He'll be succeeded by newly-elected sheriff Kenneth Hedrick.
Born in Monroe, Maxwell grew up in Tallulah, where he played high school football and worked after school hours and on weekends as a police dispatcher. While growing up, he was influenced by his father, who was a State Trooper for Troop F in Monroe. In the Army, Maxwell served in the military police.
After being discharged, he worked as an auditor for a finance company, giving him experience in the business world, which would come into play years later as sheriff.
"I moved to Concordia around 1970 and worked at International Paper Company," he said. "I was on the lowest rung, and did whatever I was told. I did that for a couple years before I went to work for the State Police."
That job lasted 19 years before he was named sheriff of Concordia at a Police Jury meeting at 3 p.m. on September 30, 1990.
His appointment came upon the heels of the resignation of then-Sheriff Hubert Lee McGlothin.
"He had been indicted," Maxwell said. "I had previously made it known that I intended to run at the end of his term."
"It was a packed meeting and other candidates interested in the job were present," Maxwell recalled. "I got appointed and on the way out, Judges (W.C.) Falkenheiner and (Glenn) Gremillion motioned me over the corner. They congratulated me and then said, 'You've got to keep Skipper,' referring to longtime court bailiff Raymond "Skipper" Galloway, who is still working at the courthouse.
Once in office, Maxwell said the mood "was absolutely horrible. Concordia Parish was the laughing stock of the state. We had no money."
After being sworn in, he learned that he had to make payroll the next day for 31 employees.
"I called Travis Gore at Concordia Bank to get a loan to make payroll," Maxwell said. "I was told that the sheriff's office owed $487,000 and that they bank would not loan a penny. So I had to personally sign for it."
Maxwell said he didn't tell his wife, Roselinda, about the loan "until about 10 to 15 years later."For the full story, subscribe to the The Concordia Sentinel's NEW E-Edition! |
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