CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry on Friday, Aug. 2, said he will not seek a fourth term. Gentry addressed media and spectators alike regarding his decision at St. John’s Evangelical Protestant Church Youth Center just after 9:30 a.m.
“I think about the last 10 years and what we’ve accomplished in the office of sheriff. We took office in 2015 with the main priority of returning the office of the sheriff back to the people,” said Gentry. “That’s what we’ve done the last 10 years.”
Gentry spoke with his deputies and other CCSO employees Thursday to give them a heads-up for Friday’s announcement. His next step was to inform the public.
Said Gentry, “And then the next decision was that I wanted to tell the people that I represent. For me, I’ve never been a liar. I could not go the next year telling people I don’t know what I’m going to do, when I know in my heart that I do.”
With his wife Susie by his side, Gentry was sworn in as the 30th sheriff of the county by Cullman County Circuit Judge Martha Williams in January 2015.
That election was the closest race he encountered throughout his three terms as he squared off against then incumbent Sheriff Mike Rainey. Following a long campaign, a close primary and a July run-off election decided by a margin of 608 votes, Gentry came out on top. Since then he has run unopposed. For what would be his final swearing in as sheriff, his father Roger Gentry administered the oath of office, marking the beginning of his third and last term on Jan. 21, 2023.
“Today, I’ve got 25 years in law enforcement. At the end of my term, I will have 27 and a half to 28 years in law enforcement. I’ll have 12 years as an elected official,” shared Gentry, “I think about all the things we have implemented in our community.”
According to the sheriff, the CCSO currently holds more community meetings than any other law enforcement office in the state. Gentry shared that just in 2024, the CCSO has hosted over 60 community events. Events have included ladies’ self-defense classes, community cookouts, the annual sheriff’s rodeo and the Citizens’ Academy.
Gentry also boasted about the creation of the CCSO’s own pay scale for its deputies.
“When we took office, one of the priorities was to get pay where it needed to be,” he said. “We worked with the (Cullman County) Commission. We have our own pay scale now that will give our deputies financial stability from this point on. That’s what we need in leadership.”
Gentry went on, “I believe it takes leaders to do more in self accountability, self term limits, because it’s easy to get up and say, ‘I believe in term limits,’ but you’ve been somewhere 30 years. What is hard is to say, ‘You know what? I’m going to do my job, and then, you know what? I’m going to go do something else.’ At the end of this term – I’ve got two and a half years left – at the end of this term I’ll have almost 28 years in law enforcement, 12 years as your sheriff. Three terms, I’ve been blessed to run the last two unopposed, but I’m going to retire.”
Gentry’s third term will end in January 2027 when his successor is sworn in.
As for his future plans, Gentry said he has none. He said he will follow the Lord wherever He leads.
“I don’t know what the future holds, but I will follow wherever the Lord takes me,” he said. “If he takes me down that road, I’ll go, because I believe in Him. I also believe in our community.”
Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker, shared his sentiments regarding Gentry’s retirement in a social media comment, saying:
“One post can’t describe the impact Matt Gentry has had as Sheriff of Cullman County. Like many citizens of Cullman County I believe Matt Gentry has been the best sheriff we have ever had. His community policing policies have made Cullman County one of the safest counties in Alabama. He is well known for being accessible to the public with his community cookouts, citizens academy, youth academy, and world-famous Rodeo. Since being elected District Attorney, I can say we speak often about pending cases and investigations. I look forward to continuing to work with him for the next two years to secure justice for the citizens of Cullman County.”
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