Chief Deputy Randy Pugh with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department began his career in the department only three weeks after he graduated high school.

Since then, he has worked his way up through the ranks from a dispatcher to jailer, chief jailer, K-9 program, and eventually deputy and assistant chief and chief deputy.

“My family has always been in public service,” Pugh said. “My brother, Boyd Pugh, is actually the public safety director of Valley Grande, so he’s still in public service also. My dad, Boyd Pugh, did it all his life, my brother is doing it all of his life and I guess I’m following in behind them.”

Pugh’s father was at one time the Selma Fire Department chief, and Pugh knew he wanted to join his father and brother in public safety.

“My dad was a fire chief here and my brother was with the fire department in Selma, and when I got out of school, I wanted to be a fireman, but since my dad was the fire chief they couldn’t hire another relative at the time,” Pugh said.

Because he couldn’t work for the fire department, Pugh decided to begin his career with the sheriff’s department, and he’s glad he did.

“I love law enforcement. It’s just always something that’s in my blood. One it gets in your blood, you’re there, you’re hooked, you can’t get out,” Pugh said.

“I’ve been doing it for 36 years and I just love it. I love the guys I work with. They make me, I don’t make them. I’ve got some great people working here. We’re a family up here.”

Pugh is married to Tammy Pugh and has two children, Quinton and Summer.

He graduated from Southside High School in August 1980 and started working with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department in July of 1980. Pugh plans to retire with the department.