BRIDGEPORT (September 28, 2023) -- In the late 1990s, Cheree Fisher took a job with the Morrill County Sheriff's Office. Before long, it became more than a job and a paycheck. 

She was honored this afternoon for retiring after about 25 years of service to Morrill County.

"She started actually working here in the sheriff's office as a dispatcher when she graduated high school. She's been here since 1998. She moved up the ranks. She dispatched for about nine years. Then she moved up, and got certified as a deputy. She was a deputy for four or five years before she took office in 2011. I asked her if she was interested in being my chief deputy since she knew pretty much running dispatch, and jail, and so she had a lot of experience here in the county," Morrill County Sheriff Milo Cardenas said.

She has been Cardenas' Chief Deputy since 2011.

"I started in 1998 as a dispatcher, jailer and pretty much just moved my way up. [Law enforcement] pretty much chose me. I was offered the job one day by the previous sheriff to be a dispatcher, and it just kind of went from there," Fisher said.

She describes her time with the Sheriff's Office as a good experience, developing friendships during her time there.

"It's been very good. It's had its challenges. I've had great experiences. I've met a lot of close friends and relationships. It's been like a whole other family," she said.

Cardenas describes her as someone who will be hard to replace, his "right hand man" on many occasions. 

The reception was decorated with a blue-line flag commemorating her time of service, a shadow box with her badge and a table of sweets to celebrate the occasion.