Ada County officials have outlined a plan to replace former Ada County Sheriff Steve Bartlett after his sudden retirement.
The Ada County Board of Commissioners will have three candidates to choose from as selected by the Ada County Republican Party. Chief Deputy Scott Johnson is acting sheriff until the board appoints someone to fill the position, according to Ada County.
Bartlett announced the "surprise" decision in an email sent to more than 750 employees within the agency May 31, according to an ACSO news release. In the email, Bartlett said he is attending "personal items." Bartlett has been with the Ada County Sheriff's Office since 2003 and was appointed sheriff in 2015.
“While the entire Board was surprised by Steve’s unexpected announcement on Memorial Day, we have a duty to fulfill our constitutional obligations by selecting the strongest, and most qualified candidate submitted by the Republican Central Committee” said Ada County Commission Board Chair Rod Beck in a statement.
No candidates have been submitted for consideration, according to Ada County officials. Anyone interested can reach out to the committee for consideration. The board will have 15 days to make a selection once the Republican Central Committee provides three candidates.
“We are committed to selecting a person with strong law enforcement credentials who will lead Idaho’s largest local law enforcement agency with integrity and professionalism,” said Ada County Commissioner Kendra Kenyon in a statement.