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Murray County Sheriff-Elect Speaks

3,316 views · Published 8 November 2012 · 2:23 · Indexed 24 October 2026

Channel: WTVC NewsChannel 9 · 2012 · News & Politics

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By Jerry Askin  The "top cop" position in three of our northwest Georgia counties will have a new face in January.Sheriff elect Gary Langford has lived by his slogan all throughout his campaign. It's written clearly on his billboard - "It's Time for change." Tuesday night, he defeated 24-year sheriff Howard Ensley with 57% of the votes."I'm a person that has done my job for 38  years - and I'm going to do my job now," says Langford.He's been doing so for nearly 40 years, working at the Chatsworth Police Department, the Murray County sheriff's office, and the Georgia State Patrol. Langford says the county has a drug problem --- now he wants to start a drug task force, and allow residents to help."I want to put an anonymous phone call in my office where the public can call me, when they see it going on," says Langford.Many voters agree the county needs new leadership."I guess people just looking at it like he's been there so long, like it's time for a chance, try someone younger, a little different," says voter Houston Mantooth.But, for Terry chapman, he says things won't be the same without Ensley in office."I honestly thought he did a good job as sheriff the whole time he was in office," says Chapman.Chapman says Sheriff Ensley may have lost because of a sexual harrassment scandal plaguing the county.In the wake of the Bryant Cochran case, two of Sheriff Ensley's deputies were fired -- after the District Attorney found out they lied, planting drugs on a woman who was falsely arrested.We called the Sheriff, to see if that was the reason he thought he lost the race."I don't have any opinion on that right now, but I'm thankful for the time we had," says Ensley.Sheriff Elect Gary Langford will go to new sheriff training for four weeks and officially take office in January. Two other counties will have new leadership as well.In Dade County there's Ray Cross, he beat incumbent Sheriff Patrick Cannon in the primary, then former Sheriff Phil Street last night.  And, the new sheriff in Catossa County is Gary Sisk -- he ran unopposed to fill Sheriff Phil Summers seat, who's retiring.

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