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By Ashley Parkinson
The Record-Times 

Watkins to retire after 32 years of service

 

Last updated 6/2/2022 at 2:42pm

Ashley Parkinson | The Record-Times

Undersheriff Kelly Watkins is looking forward to his upcoming retirement.

DAVENPORT – Lincoln County Undersheriff Kelly Watkins is set to retire effective June 30.

His upcoming retirement coincides with Sheriff Wade Magers' retirement.

When asked what made him retire rather than possibly running for Sheriff, his answer was quite simple: he wanted a less stressful job.

"At the age of 53 I can draw from my pension without penalty," Watkins said. "I am looking forward to something less stressful."

Watkins started his career just two weeks shy of his 21st birthday in 1990 for the Odessa Police department.

He worked for the town as a reserve officer for a short time before becoming chief. While serving as a reserve officer Watkins also worked as a public works employee.

Continuing his career, Watkins was a road deputy for the Sheriff's Office. He then served as chief criminal deputy for five years.

Watkins has been the Lincoln County Undersheriff since he was appointed Jan. 2006.

Watkins has volunteered for several organizations including the Alcohol and Drug Center for 19 years. He served on the Odessa Town Council for six years, is a former Odessa Lions Club president and is the current Fraternal Order of Police president.

He was a trained forensic child interviewer, a field training officer and an emergency operations instructor.

A 1998 hunt to catch the perpetrator of a local assault was Watkins' proudest career moment, he said.

"The most rewarding accomplishment of my career is when I caught the men who assaulted Claude Rainey," Watkins said.

Rainey had been a long-time resident of Odessa and was an elderly man. His home had been broken into. Various belongings of Rainey's had been stolen.

Rainey had been assaulted and was found bound and gagged the next morning by neighbors who checked on him regularly.

Watkins collected evidence and submitted fingerprints to the crime lab. The crime lab results found a match to a gentleman who Watkins tracked to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

He was able to obtain a search warrant due to the evidence collected. Upon searching the property Watkins had the assistance of the Drug Task Force and the Coeur d'Alene police department.

Drugs were also found and the man who assaulted Rainey tried to run.

This case took place when Watkins was with the Odessa Police Department in 1998.

Upon catching one criminal Watkins was able to aid in the arrest of a couple other suspects as well.

Watkins regularly checked in with Rainey during his investigations to piece together information and to make sure the elderly gentleman was well.

When asked what his plans consisted of after retirement, Watkins said, "I plan on driving a bus for the Odessa School District and serving as a background investigator for Public Safety Testing."

He's already got experience with background investigating.

 

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