GREENBRIER COUNTY W.Va. (WVDN) – As this year comes to a close on New Year’s Eve, Greenbrier County Sheriff Bruce Sloan will walk out of his office and into a new chapter of his life.
“I’ve reached a point in my life like a lot of others, where you turn the reigns over to younger people,” he says. “On my first day at the police academy, we were told that our careers would go by really quickly, and I remember thinking at the time that I didn’t see that happening,” Sloan recalls. “But that was correct, and it’s hard to believe, but it’s just flown by.”
In 1986, Sloan began his career with the state police carrying a great respect and admiration for the agency. “It appealed to me, and I felt like I could make a difference in the community and have a positive impact on people’s lives,” he says. “Being in law enforcement is just something that I always wanted to do, so that’s the path I pursued.”
After retiring from the state police in 2010, he accepted a position as director of security at The Greenbrier. In January 2013, he was contacted by Jan Cahill who had just been elected sheriff of Greenbrier County. “We had worked together in the state police for years, and he contacted me and asked if I would be his chief deputy, which I accepted and remained as for four years,” Sloan says. “When he left, I became sheriff and have been blessed to be elected for two terms.”
With a career that spans decades, Sloan’s greatest reward has been obtaining justice. When asked what he enjoyed most about his career, he said, “The people. We can’t always meet every need, and there’s always things we’d like to do and cannot do, but we try. I feel really good about the future of the department, and I know the incoming sheriff will do a great job,” he adds. “I’ve had a really gratifying career with the state police and sheriff’s office, and I was very fortunate to advance through the ranks.”
When asked what advice he would give to the incoming sheriff, Sloan says, “Always be accessible and listen to the needs of the public. While it’s not humanly possible to satisfy everyone and meet their needs, at least be open to the issues and be willing to listen.” Throughout his own career, Sloan admits to always having had an open-door policy. “When people want to talk to me, I’m available.”
We all know that first responders are those who bravely go into situations that the rest of us only see on television or read about in the newspaper but for our brave men and women in uniform, it’s very much a reality. “The least gratifying thing about this job is some of the hurt and trauma that I’ve seen over the years,” Sloan says. “Tragedies affect everyone involved and while you are relieved that you’re able to have a role in helping as best you can, humanly speaking, we don’t understand why these things occur.”
For anyone considering a career in law enforcement, Sloan stresses the importance of choosing this path for the right reasons. “A career in law enforcement is very rewarding,” he says. “It’s also very challenging, and it’s not for everyone. It has difficult moments, and at times, it’s disheartening when they will feel like the justice system doesn’t always work the way they think it should,” he adds. “They need to be understanding and have realistic expectations. There’s a lot of burnout, and they need to know early on that this job is not all about riding around in a nice looking uniform and a shiny cruiser.”
For anyone considering this path, the sheriff offers advice to those who see it as a job. “To me, this career is not a job. It’s a calling,” he says. “If you only view it as a good steady job with benefits, then you are probably not going to make a career of it. You need to be called to a life of service in order to be an effective law enforcement officer.”
In addition to courage, certain qualities are essential for law enforcement officers to possess. When asked his opinion on the most important, Sloan was quick to respond, “Patience, understanding, integrity, morals, good ethical values, empathy and a listening ear.”
With great pride, Sloan speaks about his department. “We’ve developed a really great sheriff’s department with a really great team,” he says. “We’ve experienced a lot of specialization, and I feel really good about that. We have the best equipped cruisers that we can get; we have 24/7 coverage 365 days a year and supervisors out for every shift. We have really good people across the board, including everyone from our civilian employees to our sworn officers. The county commission has been extremely good to work with. They’ve provided the funding we need to make these advancements and to purchase the equipment we need.”
As Sloan leaves his office on Dec. 31 and begins a new life outside of law enforcement, he looks forward to remaining active in the community, his church and spending time with his grandchildren. “My wife also has a large list of things for me to do,” he says with a smile. “I have a lot of things that will keep me busy. I’ve met a lot of people, made a lot of friends, and I plan to stay in touch.” Although he doesn’t make New Year resolutions, Sloan acknowledges “I’m just looking forward to the new year and whatever challenges it presents.”
