TWIN FALLS, Idaho — After 16 years at the helm of the Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office and a remarkable 40-year career in law enforcement, Sheriff Tom Carter is preparing for retirement. As he reflects on his tenure, Carter acknowledges the significance of the nameplate on his office door.
“I can't believe you look at the other side of that door and it's got my name on it," Carter said. "The credit I take for that is that I'm smart enough to put people around me that keep me in the office.”
Carter's leadership has made him the longest-serving sheriff in Twin Falls history. One of his proudest achievements has been fostering teamwork among various agencies in the Magic Valley.
“That's probably one of his biggest strengths is this partnership that he was able to forge,” said County Commissioner Don Hall, who has known Carter since 1988, when Hall was with the Twin Falls Police Department when Carter was a patrol sergeant with the County.
"He's like a hometown sheriff," Hall said, "(He) is very approachable and very relatable, and I think that's one of the appeals that he has for our community."
Throughout his career, Carter has championed initiatives such as getting his department's employees enrolled in the state's public retirement program, a key step aimed at retaining deputies amidst competitive job offers elsewhere.
“When I went to work in Twin Falls, if your bicep was bigger than your hat size, it didn't matter," Carter said. "That's just the way you did business. And now it’s not like that."
"You need smart people working for you, but hiring is a tough job," Carter said. "When I started, you might have an opening for 10 or even two patrolmen and you'd have probably 60 applications. And now, you know ... hiring is an adventure.”
As he prepares to hand over the reins, Carter shares advice for his successor. “What you have to realize is ... you have the honor of sitting at that desk," Carter said. "So once you get bigger than that job you need to get the hell out, the office of the sheriff is incredible."
