Fellow Democrats appointed Bob Reid in 2009 to replace long-time Sheriff Gerald McFaul who was being investigated for campaign finance violations and later convicted. Reid was one of two elected county officials who kept their jobs when Executive FitzGerald and the new government took over in 2011. Reid and FitzGerald worked together to increase the number of deputies to about 160, including 7 new deputies sworn in this week. They also established so-called impact units, where deputies help suburban police crack-down on burglary rings or drunk driving. Cuyahoga Community College Police Chief Clayton Harris is also head of the county’s police chief’s association. He says Reid helped by taking over prisoner transportation.

“What that did was allow a lot of officers to remain in their cities working while the county transported prisoners back and forth from local jails to the county jail.” 

Harris hopes Reid’s replacement has a law enforcement background and not just administrative experience. Before becoming sheriff, Reid was Bedford’s police chief and city manager. He’ll stay on as sheriff until the end of the month. After that, department Captain Frank Bova will return as interim sheriff while the county searches for a permanent replacement.