Carroll County Sheriff Ken Pingrey announced yesterday (Monday) afternoon that he would be retiring after 37 years in law enforcement to pursue other opportunities in the public sector. Pingrey spent the first 11 years of his career in Audubon County before joining the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office. He became chief deputy under then-Sheriff Doug Bass and later took over the office after Bass’s retirement in 2016, easily cruising through each of his reelection bids. Pingrey says the decision to retire did not come easily and involved multiple factors.
Pingrey adds he would prefer to finish out his entire term, which would have expired in 2028, but the regulations around the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) and the election schedule necessitated the timing. If he were to win the District 4 Carroll County Board of Supervisors Republican primary, his last day as sheriff would be Aug. 31. Pingrey can still remember the first time he put on his uniform, and it is difficult for him to believe it has been nearly 40 years since that day.
He says he was fortunate over the course of his career to work with and for so many dedicated deputies, first responders, supervisors, and county residents.
Pingrey intends to recommend Chief Deputy Jon Cretsinger as his successor, and he says Carroll County couldn’t ask for a better person to lead the sheriff’s office.
Pingrey isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, as he still has nearly six months left on the job. However, as his law enforcement career draws to a close, he wants to thank the people of Carroll County for their trust in him as a deputy and as sheriff.
