Mineral County Shariff Mike Dillard
Sheriff Mike Dillard sent notice to the Mineral County Board of County Commissioners of his intent to resign on Monday.
Dillard is the first man to ever bow out of the position. He will hand over the position in about two weeks, said Sean Rowe, Mineral County District Attorney.
Paul MacBeth, county commissioner, said Dillard resigned for personal and health issues that affect his family. Dillard’s letter of his intent to resign was made public after press time on Wednesday.
Until a replacement is found, Undersheriff Patricia Thyne will act as sheriff until an interim sheriff is appointed by the board, Rowe said.
“Operations are continuing as normal over there,” Rowe said. “They will continue to proceed as they have for the last three years. Nothing has really changed in the day to day operations of the sheriff’s office.”
Rowe said on Tuesday he expected the board to call for letters of interest during the meeting on Wednesday. He also expects the board to hold an emergency meeting next week to fill the position, he said.
Dillard is the 17th man to hold the title of sheriff since Mineral County was founded in 1911.
He was elected on Nov. 4, 2010 when he handily defeated Richard Stromatt in a general election.
Dillard was born and raised in Hawthorne, although he graduated from a high school in California.
In 1984 he joined the U.S. Army, where he served for two years. After his discharge, Dillard worked security and loss prevention jobs until 1994, when he joined the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Program. The next year he was hired as a full time deputy.
Dillard worked patrol duty for about seven years, and began a two-year stint on the Narcotics Task Force in 2001.
In 2007, Dillard was promoted to Lieutenant, and in 2009 was appointed Undersheriff by Ed Smith. After his election, he appointed Thyne as Undersheriff. Thyne is the first woman to serve as undersheriff and will be the first woman to perform the duties of sheriff in Mineral County history.
