After more than three decades of service to his community as a law enforcement officer, Rocky Croy is retiring from the Carter County Sheriff’s Office.

Croy’s career in law enforcement began 34 years ago, in 1983, when he accepted a job as a dispatcher for then-Sheriff Bill Crumley. Thursday, Oct. 12, marks his last day as an employee with the department.

“I worked it for probably about three months or so, then I moved up to the jail,” Croy recalled.

After working in the jail for a time, Croy moved to the patrol division as a deputy and began moving up the ranks being promoted first to sergeant and then lieutenant over a patrol shift. He was promoted to the rank of captain when he moved to the department’s Criminal Investigations Division.

Of all his different duties within the department over the years, Croy said he probably enjoyed working in investigations the most.

“It’s like a mystery you’re trying to solve,” he explained. “It’s always intriguing to me trying to figure out why they did it and how they did it.”

Prior to joining the Sheriff’s Office, Croy worked at Kennametal in Johnson City. It was his father, Clyde Croy, that was his inspiration to pursue law enforcement as a career. Clyde Croy began his career with the Carter County Sheriff’s Office under then-Sheriff George Papantoniou but later went to the Elizabethton Police Department, where he retired with the rank of Captain.

“He would come home and tell me what happened during the day,” Croy said of his father. Hearing the stories of the things his father encountered made an impact on the younger Croy.

“I always enjoyed his stories and thought I would like to do that,” Croy said.

And, a family tradition was born as Croy would come home and share his stories with his children. One of his sons, Matt Croy, followed in his father’s footsteps and also became a law enforcement officer. Matt Croy began his career at the Carter County Sheriff’s Office but later accepted a position with the Elizabethton Police Department where he is now a sergeant.

During his long career, Croy said he has accumulated a lot of stories regarding the calls and cases he has worked.

“If I put them all together in a book people wouldn’t believe half of them, but they’re all true,” Croy said with a laugh.

Croy has begun putting some of his stories down on paper — stories from both his career and his personal life. He said he finds writing them down helpful. He then shares these memories with his wife, Cindy, and their children Matt, Craig, Jessica, and Gracie.

While the job is not an easy one, Croy said he enjoyed being an officer and serving the citizens of his community.

“It was tough. It was real hard, but I’ve been happy,” he said. “I don’t think I would have been happy doing anything else.”

Over the years, Croy has worked alongside many different officers and for five Carter County Sheriffs. Working closely with people in a field such as law enforcement creates a special bond between people, and it is that part of the job Croy said he will miss the most.

“I’ll miss the people I worked with and getting to talk to the citizens,” he said. “I wish nothing but the best for the officers over there.”

“It has been my honor and privilege to work with the great people we have here at the Sheriff’s Office.”

He described his retirement as “bittersweet” but something that “had to happen.” Croy said the reason he decided to retire from the department is because he will be running for the office of Carter County Sheriff in the county’s 2018 election.