TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Leon County Sheriff’s Office celebrated their bicentennial Wednesday.
200 years ago, William Cameron became Leon County’s first appointed sheriff.
The sheriff’s office hosted a commencement ceremony at their headquarters to honor the organization’s past and present.
Leon County Commissioner Christian Caban also presented current sheriff Walt McNeil with a proclamation to commemorate the anniversary.
Sergeant David Teems has served as a historian for the sheriff’s office in recent years.
We spoke with him about how far the office has come in 2 centuries.
“The most interesting thing I think we learned about Sheriff Cameron was not only was he a sheriff, but he was a tax collector. And he was also a baker at the same time. And he held so many roles within the community while he was here. If you look, we’re not that much different than what we do now, right? The local law enforcement, the deputy sheriffs are all going to hold different roles within the community, whether that be a father, a coach, all those types of things going forward,” Teems said.
Teems says this event also allowed deputies to reflect on how the office has served Leon County neighbors in the past and how they can improve.