07-22-2009, 11:46 PM
http://www2.hernandotoday.com/content/2009/jul/22/sheriffs-no-2-man-sets-sights-retirement/news/
BROOKSVILLE - Michael Hensley doesn't believe in luck.
He's treated soldiers on the battlefields of Vietnam and escaped a knifepoint robbery.
Hensley has been hit head-on with a car, patrolled Hernando County with backup miles away and drawn his gun in the line of duty.
But he doesn't credit luck for bringing him to his upcoming retirement. He calls it providence. And it's that fate Hensley believes kept him at the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.
"I never anticipated being part of the evolution of an organization like this," said Hensley, who started in patrol in 1983 and is now second-in-command as chief deputy.
A majority of his 35 years in law enforcement were spent locally, but Hensley, 58, got his start with St. Petersburg police. Like most recruits, he went through the police academy and worked alongside a field training officer before working the streets.
He keenly remembers the first day he was truly alone on the job.
"It's just you and the call," Hensley said in an interview Monday.
That would turn out to be the appeal of police work for him: Arriving at the scene, assessing the situation and creating a solution. He thrived on the challenge — and the fun.
At one point, South St. Petersburg was having a wave of Friday night robberies. Police determined that the robbers were targeting the besotted citizens who were drinking away their paychecks.
A sting was formulated and Hensley was drafted as a decoy to stumble along the streets. The plan worked and Hensley was robbed at knifepoint.
"The higher the risk, the higher the reward," Hensley said, before adding: "At that age."
Like many rookies, Hensley took the job with the idea he could save the world. That bubble burst early on, but it wasn't really a case of disillusionment. It was more of a realization of how important teamwork is, Hensley said.
"You can't right the wrong by yourself," he said. "You do the best you can and hope others are too."
In 1983, after nine years on the job, Hensley moved to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. It was a shock initially coming from the fast-paced city beat to a shift where he was sometimes the only deputy on the east side of the county.
But the county was growing fast and Hensley's career shot up along with it. One of the remarkable things about law enforcement is there are all types of jobs and supervisory roles that come with it from patrol to detective, sergeant to major, Hensley said.
Hensley's job grew more challenging as he climbed the chain of command. As a supervisor, you have to make decisions for the greater good of the agency versus the individual deputy, and that's tough, Hensley said.
Making the decision to retire was also tough, but Hensley is ready for a break and to spend time with family, including eight grandchildren.
Sheriff Richard Nugent, who has been working with Hensley since 1984, has high praise for his chief deputy and friend.
"He's a great right-hand guy," Nugent said.
This makes my day! Good bye, good old boy! Take Nugent with you!!!!
BROOKSVILLE - Michael Hensley doesn't believe in luck.
He's treated soldiers on the battlefields of Vietnam and escaped a knifepoint robbery.
Hensley has been hit head-on with a car, patrolled Hernando County with backup miles away and drawn his gun in the line of duty.
But he doesn't credit luck for bringing him to his upcoming retirement. He calls it providence. And it's that fate Hensley believes kept him at the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.
"I never anticipated being part of the evolution of an organization like this," said Hensley, who started in patrol in 1983 and is now second-in-command as chief deputy.
A majority of his 35 years in law enforcement were spent locally, but Hensley, 58, got his start with St. Petersburg police. Like most recruits, he went through the police academy and worked alongside a field training officer before working the streets.
He keenly remembers the first day he was truly alone on the job.
"It's just you and the call," Hensley said in an interview Monday.
That would turn out to be the appeal of police work for him: Arriving at the scene, assessing the situation and creating a solution. He thrived on the challenge — and the fun.
At one point, South St. Petersburg was having a wave of Friday night robberies. Police determined that the robbers were targeting the besotted citizens who were drinking away their paychecks.
A sting was formulated and Hensley was drafted as a decoy to stumble along the streets. The plan worked and Hensley was robbed at knifepoint.
"The higher the risk, the higher the reward," Hensley said, before adding: "At that age."
Like many rookies, Hensley took the job with the idea he could save the world. That bubble burst early on, but it wasn't really a case of disillusionment. It was more of a realization of how important teamwork is, Hensley said.
"You can't right the wrong by yourself," he said. "You do the best you can and hope others are too."
In 1983, after nine years on the job, Hensley moved to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. It was a shock initially coming from the fast-paced city beat to a shift where he was sometimes the only deputy on the east side of the county.
But the county was growing fast and Hensley's career shot up along with it. One of the remarkable things about law enforcement is there are all types of jobs and supervisory roles that come with it from patrol to detective, sergeant to major, Hensley said.
Hensley's job grew more challenging as he climbed the chain of command. As a supervisor, you have to make decisions for the greater good of the agency versus the individual deputy, and that's tough, Hensley said.
Making the decision to retire was also tough, but Hensley is ready for a break and to spend time with family, including eight grandchildren.
Sheriff Richard Nugent, who has been working with Hensley since 1984, has high praise for his chief deputy and friend.
"He's a great right-hand guy," Nugent said.
This makes my day! Good bye, good old boy! Take Nugent with you!!!!