Former Pickaway County Sheriff Dwight E. Radcliff is in a class all his own.
Radcliff, who retired in January, was elected in 1964 — when gas cost 30 cents a gallon and the Beatles held the top five Billboard slots. At the time of his retirement, he was the longest-serving sheriff in America.
Known as a devoted, no-nonsense lawman, Radcliff was honored in October at the Ohio Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Conference, where he received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
In his 48 years as sheriff, Radcliff oversaw the modernization of his department, the influx of technology, and the growth of both his staff (from 11 members to 84) and his jail (from 40 beds to 110). He was a longtime member of the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission and served on the LEADS steering committee since its inception. He led the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association in the ’70s and the National Sheriffs’ Association in the ’80s.
Learn more: A video about Dwight Radcliff’s 48 years as sheriff appears at
www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/videos.