After over two decades of dedicated service with the Newton County Sheriff's Office, Bill Watterson announced his own candidacy for Sheriff of Newton County in the upcoming election. Watterson, who recently resigned from the current administration, said in a press release that he regrets that he had to voluntarily leave the job he loved after 23 years of service. He joined the NCSO in 1990 and has literally worked in every division of the department.

Watterson got his start at the entry level position of jailer in the detention center, and worked his way up to supervisor over patrol division, CHAMPS, community outreach, civil division, traffic division, school resource officers and vehicle maintenance. During that rise he has also served in investigations, traffic division/ accident reconstruction, court services and even been assigned to metro drug task forces.

Watterson said he simply wants to return the Sheriff's Office to the people of Newton County.

"I have lived and learned from past Sheriffs like Gerald Malcolm and Joe Nichols that the Sheriff's office is only as effective as the relationship it has with its citizens. Sheriff Nichols reminded me constantly that the office of the Sheriff belonged to the people and he had to answer to them and that's why he had an open door policy for EVERYONE. The quality of their leadership and their devotion to the people set the example I want to follow. I want to make it clear it was my decision to leave the department because I felt that the sheriff's office, under the current administration, has moved away from these core beliefs. I felt the call to leave to be free to pursue the office of Sheriff not only to better serve the citizens of Newton County, but to also protect the hard-working employees of the current sheriff's office. I would like to return the NCSO to a place of fairness, job security, and a place where people want to come to work again."

Watterson, a U.S. Air Force and Army Reserve veteran is a lifelong resident of Newton County and his wife Yolonda who is a Newton County elementary school teacher, have been devoted to the families of Newton County since 1990.
"We are vested in this county and are committed to making it the best place it can possibly to raise a family and then retire." said Watterson.

Watterson and his wife have two sons; McKenzie, 14 and Micah, 11.