Since no Democratic candidate is running for Morgan County Sheriff in the general election in November, Puckett will run uncontested. This effectively makes him the incumbent Morgan County sheriff.

Puckett, with 30 years of experience as a police officer and 12 years of experience as the Hartselle Police Department’s chief of police, will take over in January for Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin, who did not seek re-election after a scandal-ridden second term.

Puckett earned a bachelor’s degree from Athens State University in criminal justice and a master’s degree from Auburn University at Montgomery in Justice and Public Safety.

“The county wants someone for sheriff they can be proud of: a sheriff that has integrity, a sheriff that has character, a sheriff that is honest and can tell the truth and knows the difference between a truth and a lie,” said Puckett after sealing the victory. “(The county wants) a sheriff that is going to value employees, a sheriff that is going to grab the hands of these boys and say, ‘Let’s make a difference in this county’ – and that is what we’re going to do.”

Hartselle Police Capt. Tom Sparks said Puckett received unanimous support from the HPD. “It’s bittersweet for us, but we’ll still get to work with him on a daily basis,” Sparks said. “He’s the right guy for the job, and we all think he’ll do great there.”

“I’ve known Ron for 23 years,” Sparks added. “He’s the most spiritually and ethically sound man I know. He’s a good example as a chief, a man and as an officer. I can’t say enough about his character – he’s in prayerful thought over every decision he makes. There aren’t a lot of people that can truly say that and implement it well.”

Puckett ran his campaign on bringing financial transparency to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office and reinvesting surplus funds from the Inmate Feeding Program toward their intended use – two issues that have been a source of controversy during Franklin’s tenure as sheriff.

Sparks said Puckett can bring unity to the MCSO. “He’s a good officer and a manager,” Sparks said. “I think he can bring unity there; there seems to be some division. He has great organizational skills, and he always had a great vision for knowing what our department has needed.

“He will be the leader that the deputies can count on.”