The Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office has promoted a veteran deputy to sergeant and added two new deputies to its patrol ranks, the agency announced Tuesday, Oct. 6. The changes come just two weeks after the department announced an earlier round of promotions, and they add manpower for an agency that covers all of Hardeman County, including the Middleton area just north of Walnut and the Tippah County line.
McElhone Promoted to Sergeant
Donnie McElhone, who had been serving as a deputy sheriff, was promoted to the rank of sergeant during a short ceremony at the sheriff’s office. Photos shared by the department show McElhone having his new rank pinned to his uniform and shaking hands with a fellow officer.
In its announcement, the sheriff’s office called the promotion “well-deserved” and said it looks forward to McElhone’s “continued leadership and service to the citizens of Hardeman County.”
A sergeant typically serves as a front-line supervisor, overseeing deputies on a shift and helping guide day-to-day patrol work. The department did not say which division or shift McElhone will supervise.
Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office Welcomes Two New Deputies
The same ceremony introduced the department’s two newest deputies:
Johnathan Gyles
Ron Wilson
The sheriff’s office said it is “excited to have them join our team” and expects the pair to bring dedication, professionalism and commitment to the agency. The announcement asked residents to join the department in congratulating Sgt. McElhone and welcoming Deputies Gyles and Wilson.
The office did not release details about the new deputies’ prior law enforcement experience or their assignments.
A Busy Stretch for the Department
The announcement caps a busy few weeks for the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office. In late September the department announced several other promotions within its ranks, and on Monday it detailed plans for a public auction of more than 200 firearms on Saturday, Oct. 17, in Bolivar.
For residents of Middleton and the rest of northern Hardeman County, the sheriff’s office handles patrol and calls for service outside the town limits and works alongside the Middleton Police Department and other local agencies. Adding deputies helps the office cover a large, mostly rural county that stretches from the Mississippi state line north toward Bolivar and beyond.
How to Reach the Sheriff’s Office
Residents with an emergency should always call 911. The Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office posts updates, wanted-person alerts and community news on its official Facebook page and its website, hardemancountysheriff.org.
Tippah News will continue to follow public safety news from Hardeman County and the Middleton area. Do you have news to share from Middleton, Walnut or the surrounding communities? Let us know.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
