PICKAWAY – Pickaway County Sheriff Robert B. Radcliff regrets to announce that his father, former Pickaway County Sheriff Dwight E. Radcliff, passed away on May 6, 2020 at the age of 87.
Sheriff Dwight E. Radcliff served as the 37th Sheriff of Pickaway County from 1965 until his retirement in 2013. At the time of his retirement, he was the longest-serving sheriff in the United States having served 12 consecutive terms (48 years). He is a second-generation sheriff having served as a deputy sheriff for his father for seven- and one-half years, serving a career total of 55 ½ years in law enforcement.
Throughout his career, Sheriff Radcliff helped to advance the Office of Sheriff and law enforcement as past president of the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association (1975); he was past president of the National Sheriffs’ Association (1987-1988) and held all offices in the Association and served on the Uniform Crime Reporting Committee, Budget and Audit Committee, and the Management Sub Committee; he has served on numerous task forces for the Ohio Attorney General; many Governors of Ohio appointed and reappointed him to various committees, including the Law Enforcement Automated Data System Steering Committee, Ohio Law Enforcement Emergency Radio Network, Ohio Criminal Justice Supervisory Commission; Ohio Sheriffs’ Uniform and Car Marking Commission; the Ohio State Emergency Response Commission; and the Ohio Organized Crime Committee; among many others.
He received numerous awards and recognition including the NSA Executive Director’s Award and the J. Stannard Baker Award (National Sheriffs’ Association); the President’s Award (Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association); he was chosen as Ohio Sheriff of the Year in 1975 by the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association; he was recognized by the Ohio State Veterans of Foreign Wars as Law Enforcement Officer of the Year; and countless others.
He is a 1950 graduate of Circleville High School; a 1954 graduate of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation Law Enforcement Academy; a 1967 graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy (79th Session); and a 1981 graduate and president of class of the National Sheriffs’ Institute.
The family is currently making funeral arrangements and more information will be forthcoming.
