After serving in law enforcement for 28 years including nearly 16 years with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office as sheriff, Sheriff Chad Leonard has decided to call it a career.

Leonard spent four years in the Marine Corps in the 1990s before getting out and coming back to Iowa and would go on to spend time with the Clay, Beuna Vista and Dallas County Sheriff’s Office along with Sioux Rapids and Dallas Center Police Departments before spending the last nearly 16 years as sheriff in Dallas County. 

Leonard mentions some of the successes over his time includes the brand new Dallas County Law Enforcement Center, moving the dispatch center and moving over to the statewide radio system and there has been a lot of good people helping accomplish these goals over the years.

“I’m walking away very proud of the people that work at the sheriff’s office, it’s never been in better shape than it is today. The leaders that are there, whoever steps up and gets appointed or whoever takes over, they are going to be in great shape because most everything’s done and can maintain for years and years to come.”

Leonard tells Raccoon Valley Radio over his career in law enforcement one of the biggest changes has been the use of technology.

“Things have changed, when I first got in we didn’t have cameras and all those type(s) of things and now everything is on camera: your cars, your body cameras, everything, which is a good thing because it protects officers from false claims. I think all this technology has been a good thing, we never had that when I started.” 

There will be a special open house event at the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office in Adel tomorrow from 3-6 p.m. that the public is invited to for those who would like to wish Sheriff Leonard well in retirement.