After retiring from the Gainesville Police Department, John Sisk has decided to join the race for Hall County sheriff.
"I've thought about it for a long time and I thought this was the year because there are a lot of things I want to see changed," Sisk said.
He said he hopes that under his leadership the department will form a more solid relationship with the community.
"They're not being very nice to the people they serve," he said. "They've lost contact with the people they serve."
Sisk said he also intends to protect employee rights and improve the department's use of technology.
Sisk began his career in law enforcement in 1978 with the Hall County Sheriff's Office.
In 1992, he went to work for Gainesville Police, where he stayed until he retired on Feb. 29.
"If I hadn't decided to run I probably would have stayed a couple more years, but that was the main reason for retiring at this time," Sisk said.
In his more than 26 years of experience, he has worked as a jailer, patrolman, investigator, school resource officer and as supervisor corporal.
He served on the Gainesville Retirement Board for the last 12 years, where he managed a budget of more than $65 million.
Sisk is currently the chapter president of the North Georgia Chapter of the Police Benevolent Association and has been a member for more than 15 years.
He graduated from North Hall High School and is a lifelong resident of Hall County. He is married with two children and one grandchild.
Sisk joins seven other candidates for sheriff: Gerald Couch, formerly of the Gainesville Police Department and Hall County Sheriff's Office; Jon P. Strickland, formerly of the Gainesville Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol; Col. Jeff Strickland, chief deputy of the sheriff's office; Richard Blevins, former Forsyth County Sheriff's deputy; Chad Cobb, who worked briefly in Hart County law enforcement; Ricky Tumlin, a veteran of the Hall sheriff's office; and Chuck Hewett, a veteran of the Hall sheriff's office.
Current Sheriff Steve Cronic's third term ends Dec. 31, 2012.