BETHANY, MO — Joshua Q. “Josh” Eckerson took the office of Sheriff of Harrison County following the death of George Martz, the county’s four-term sheriff who died Aug. 7, the day after Eckerson won the Republican primary election for sheriff. Eckerson was administered his oath of office just before 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, by County Clerk Jackie Deskins.
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The Harrison County Commission met in emergency session on Thursday afternoon following Martz’s death from pancreatic cancer Wednesday evening at his home. The sheriff had planned to retire at the end of his current term.
Erickson would have been uncontested in the November general election since the Democrat Party did not have a candidate.
Sheriff Martz, 59, had worked at his office in the Law Enforcement Center almost to the day of his death. He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had undergone surgery at the Mayo Clinic. The cancer was thought to be in remission, but then it came back a few months ago. Thus, Martz died on the next evening after Eckerson was elected as his successor. His near 16 years in office is the longest tenure of any previous sheriff. Martz had been in law enforcement for a total of 38 years, including several years as Bethany Police Chief.
After taking office, Sheriff Erickson fired longtime deputy and DARE officer Cory Coleman. Another deputy, Dale Stallsworth, resigned because of the way Coleman was relieved from duty. Stallsworth has accepted a position with the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office in Plattsburg.
Sheriff Erickson has appointed Brett Hawkins, Justin Rhea and Jeff Wiley as new deputies. The sheriff says he plans to maintain the DARE program with one of the officers or himself to serve as program leader.