Retired trooper takes job
Stratton named new Ripley County Sheriff
Mary Mattingly
EDITOR
mmattingly@ripleynews.com
Ripley County has a new sheriff, at least until the end of the year.
MARY MATTINGLY PHOTO
Clerk Mary Ann McCoy swears in Rodney Stratton as the new sheriff for Ripley County.
Rodney Stratton was voted in by the county’s Republican caucus on Tuesday evening to fill the position left vacant when Thomas Grills left the position April 1. The office is up for election with three Republican candidates running in the May Primary, and two Democrats. Term limits kept Grills from running again. State election rules allow the party of the elected official to select the candidate.
Following the vote by the caucus, the Holton resident was sworn in by Ripley County Clerk Mary Ann McCoy at the annex building. The only other applicant was Rob Bradley, chief deputy with the sheriff’s office and a candidate for sheriff. The vote was 16 to 6 for Stratton.
Stratton retired two months ago after 33 years with the state police. The Holton resident’s most recent duty with Indiana State Police was in Governor protection. Stratton, 55, said Tuesday the short stint as sheriff works fine with him. “I wanted to give back and I feel I can help in this short term,” he said. He will remain in office until the new elected sheriff in November is sworn into office Jan. 1.
Stratton is a 1977 South Ripley graduate and married to wife Becky for 30 years. They have a daughter who will graduate this year from South Ripley.
He began in the new role Wednesday morning.