A few hundred local residents gathered at the Cullman Civic Center Thursday night to welcome Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry into his second term of office.

Gentry, who ran unopposed in last year’s election, officially begins his new term Tuesday.

Before administering the oath of office, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill spoke about his relationship with Gentry that has continued to grow over the last few years. 

Merrill said he is impressed by the community engagement by Gentry and the rest of the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office.

“I think it’s important for you to know that you don’t get that same interaction with other sheriffs in other counties in the state,” he said. “That’s what separates Matt Gentry from the other sheriffs.”

With wife Susie, and sons William and Walker looking on, Gentry thanked those in attendance for their support during his first term of office and for continuing to support him going into his second.

“It’s just an honor to serve with so many great people,” he said. “I think about everybody in the sheriff’s office, I think about everybody in the community, and I just want y’all to know, from my heart, how much I love you and appreciate you.”

Gentry said his vision before beginning his first term was to return the office of sheriff back to the people. Some of the results of that vision have been the creation of a victim’s service deputy that helps out victims of crimes in the community, along with a focus on drug enforcement by every deputy in the sheriff’s office.

There has also been a focus on events like the Citizen’s Academy, community meetings and the annual Jimmy Arrington Memorial Rodeo, because they allow people and deputies to get to know each other and creates a stronger bond between communities and their law enforcement officers, he said.

“We will always be here for you, because the office of sheriff does not belong to me, it does not belong to the deputies, it belongs to our community,” he said. “And when you know that, this community’s strong.”