This story is about Douglas County Sheriff Earl D. Lee.

I recall one day in the summer of 1988 when I was entering the Sheriff’s Office in the daytime! I entered through the Patrol Entrance to the New County jail, built in 1983. Now, this patrol entrance led right past Earl’s door. However, I would never dare to call him Earl to his face. Not, out of fear, but out of respect. And me now being retired and having been through four sheriffs. I’ve always called Earl “Sheriff” until the day he died. And to me, he will always be, “The Sheriff”.

Earl’s office was the first door on the left after entering. Often the Sheriff would call a deputy into his office as they walked by. He would ask you about your day/zone. I guess it was his way of keeping up to date with the goings-on in “His” county. As soon as the door closed behind me, I heard Earl say growling and angrily into the phone, “Yeah, and there’s a lot of empty wells in Douglas County”. Now, I don’t know whom he was talking to. Whomever, whoever, and all those interested, but it sure sent a shiver down my spine. Cause when the Sheriff said he was going to do something; He would do it. And the bad guys knew that also.