While 16-year Sheriff Steve Frisbie isn't sure what's in store for his future, he remains optimistic that while one door is closing another will open and present new opportunities.

When considering his plans for the future, Frisbie said he turns to a verse in Proverbs. "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths," he said as he quoted the verse.

"I can't say right now what I will be doing, but I plan to take it a day at a time and see what's out there," he said. "This has been a good 16 years; it was a good ride, and a pleasure serving this county. The county has always been good to me and my family."

Frisbie remained in a lighthearted mood by joking that he was looking forward to his cell phone not going off at 3 a.m.

He also said he would enjoy a chance to spend more time with his family.

"I've always had good support from my family," he said. "They've always been very understanding."

Frisbie said during his 16 years of service, his coworkers and fellow officers have become like his family - there were many times he spent more time with them than his own family.

"There are sacrifices that have to be made in this job," he said.

Frisbie said the current staff includes many great officers and it would be a waste to not retain some of them.

"I want to really thank the staff of this department for all they have done over the years," he said. "They are a reflection of the sheriff, and I credit them with the 16 years of success."

While he hinted at knowledge of staffing changes with the new administration, Frisbie said he would leave that up to the new sheriff to announce.

Frisbie began his law enforcement career with the Sweetwater Police Department in 1983. In 1986, he made the move to McMinn County, working under Sheriff D.T. Nation.

In 1994, Frisbie, 34 at the time, ousted incumbent Sheriff George Rogers to become one of the youngest sheriffs elected in McMinn County.

Now 16 years later, Frisbie says he is grateful and thankful to the citizens of McMinn County for allowing him to serve them as sheriff for nearly two decades.

Frisbie recognized it was the support of the county that allowed him to hold the position of sheriff for four terms, and while he felt the department did a good job he knew he couldn't please everyone. "Overall, I think we did the best that we could. You've got to have thick skin and an iron gut to do this job," he said. "You're not going to please everyone, and if you do, you've done something wrong."

Frisbie mentioned a few unsolved cases, particularly the Patty Striker murder of 2000.

"I wish we could have brought closure to that case," he said. "I believe the closure is still out there, and that case can still be solved."

Frisbie added that cases aren't solved overnight; he compared them to puzzles and said the missing piece to that case is out there somewhere.

Frisbie also spoke about implementing a civil service policy and said it's still an issue the county needed to look at.

"There is some plan out there that would fit this county," he said. "There are veteran officers with a lot of training that the county doesn't want to lose."

Frisbie said that civil service plan would ensure job security in the future.

As Frisbie leaves office, he does so while pointing to several things he believes were great accomplishments for McMinn County.

"I made it 16 years without receiving that phone call that one of my officers had went down in the line of duty," he said. "That's one of those calls you don't want to receive."

Other items Frisbie considered worthy accomplishments included increasing the personnel from 45 to 76, and increasing the Justice Center's inmate population capability from 128 prisoners to up to 260. Frisbie said under his administration the department has seen a transition into the 21st Century with equipment upgrades and technological improvements. The department has also grown the jail ministry to the involvement of 60 churches, created a litter crew and taken countless drugs off the streets, he said.

"I could go on and on about the accomplishments of this department," he said.

Frisbie wished incoming Sheriff Joe Guy the best.

"Nobody really knows until they walk in the shoes of the sheriff how many hats he has to wear. I wish him the best," he said.