After 31 years in law enforcement, Carroll County Sheriff Warren Manning plans to retire when his term ends.

Manning, who’s served as Carroll’s sheriff since the first of his four terms began in 1996, said recently he will not seek re-election after his term expires Dec. 31, 2011.

“I’ve been here 31 years and I want to go ahead and do some more things before I am not able,” Manning said. “I want to venture off and do some construction. I’m open for anything. I’ve been sheriff for 16 years. I think that is long enough and I’ve accomplished everything I want to accomplish.”

Manning, 57, began his law enforcement career with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office in 1980 under then-sheriff Hassell Vass. After Vass, Dick Carrico became Carroll’s sheriff as Manning worked his way up to chief deputy before being elected sheriff himself in 1996.

“I’m just proud of being here 16 years and being able to serve the county,” Manning said. “It’s been a privilege to serve the county.”

Under Manning’s watch, the Carroll County Sheriff's Office became the first in the state to be certified by the Virginia Compensation Board.

“I'm proud of having the certification here. We were the first to get it in the state and my office worked very hard to get it. It made us a better department and I feel like that is what we have always strived for, a better department,” Manning said. “We were proud to be the first one in the area to have a resource officer in the schools. And I couldn’t have made it as long as I have without a great department backing me, and the people in the county."

Manning also takes pride in the fact that the Carroll County Sheriff's Office was one of the first in the area to implement a drug dog into the department. Carroll will add a second drug dog next month and officer Cody Edwards will be the new dog trainer.

“Those dogs didn’t cost the county anything,” Manning said, explaining that the program is paid for by money seized in drug operations.

Manning said three of his long-time officers plan to run for sheriff next year. Chief Deputy Glenn Nester, Investigator Freddie Bobbitt and School Resource Office J.B. Gardner have all told Manning of their intentions to seek the office.

All three have been in the office for some time. Nester has almost as much experience on the force as Manning,

close to 31 years, and he’s served as chief deputy for three sheriffs. Gardner has been in law enforcement for 28 years and he’s been with Carroll since 1988, while Bobbitt's time with the county sheriff’s office dates back to Vass’ tenure as sheriff.

While all three will be campaigning next year, Manning said he would make sure it is not a distraction in his department.

“Our department will run just as efficiently as it has. It won’t affect the performance of the office because I won’t let it,” Manning said. They will be running while they are working and I will keep making sure the department stays efficient.”

Candidates can file to run for sheriff beginning in January 2011. Primaries will be held in June of next year.

In the meantime, Manning said he remains focused on providing law enforcement.

“My goal is to keep doing the best job I can until I leave, and I will up to the very last day. It’s just a privilege to be here and I feel very lucky and blessed. I appreciate all the support I’ve had from the county,” Manning said. “The Donald Brady (murder) case was probably one of the bigger profile cases we've had and we solved it. We had two teenagers to get killed in Fancy Gap and we solved that. There’s been a lot of big cases in 16 years and my department has done a good job investigating them, taking them to court and getting convictions.”