After 20 years of experience with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, local residents and law enforcement officially said goodbye to Deputy Steve Sedwick and hello to Lt. Steve Sedwick Friday.
At a reception at the Holiday Inn on East State Street, Sedwick received his official promotion from Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly. Kelly and Sedwick’s wife, Jennifer, presented him with his official lieutenant pins for his uniform at the ceremony.
“Steve brings a wealth of experience and respect (to the job),” Kelly said. “He was a great deputy.”
The position opened up after the previous lieutenant, Jeff Cotterill, broke his back approximately a year and a half ago and went on disability leave, Kelly said.
With the new job will come new responsibilities and changes for Sedwick, including different job hours and working for the Athens County justice system from a new perspective.
“I’ll have to take two midnight shifts, two afternoon shifts and a day shift (per week),” he said. “(I’ll also) get into the administration side of things. I’m looking forward to trying the other side.”
In addition to taking on new roles, Sedwick will receive a 20 percent salary increase. He will get the first 10 percent of the increase for the first year of his promotion (the probation period) before obtaining the other 10 percent from then on. Cotterill had the same pay in his 23-year career, Kelly said.
Although there are perks to the promotion, there will also be some “tough choices in the future” to face in taking over Cotterill’s position, Sedwick said.
Kelly and other deputies said Sedwick was a “great deputy” and that he will benefit the county with experience as both a deputy and dispatcher and through his work with Athens County Children Services.
In addition to Sedwick’s colleagues, some of his family members attended the reception and showed their support and confidence in him as lieutenant.
“We’re very proud of him, and we wish him the best of luck in his new position,” his father said.
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