Otter Tail County Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons will not seek re-election

Otter Tail County sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons announced on Feb. 17 on the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, "I will not be seeking re-election," saying he has served two terms and spent his entire 26-year law enforcement career with the department and will continue serving through January 2027.

Fitzgibbons’ full Facebook post reiterated that commitment and laid out his reasons for stepping away from the ballot. "I have been blessed to spend my entire law enforcement career serving the people of Otter Tail County, and I will continue to serve faithfully through the end of my term in January 2027," he wrote, adding that he plans to "enjoy time with my family and appreciating the moments that matter most."

The post included personal details about his family and gratitude for their support. Fitzgibbons wrote he is "especially grateful for the unwavering support of my wife and family throughout my career," that his family "have had to make sacrifices due to the demands of the job," and that he is "blessed with two adult daughters and two granddaughters."

Fitzgibbons used the post to acknowledge the staff of the sheriff’s office and the broader community. "It has been the honor of a lifetime to work alongside the finest professionals in public safety," he wrote, and said he was "deeply grateful for the trust placed in me and extremely proud of the progress we have made together." He added that "Your confidence, cooperation, and partnership have been essential to the success of this office" and that "That spirit of community is what makes working and living in Otter Tail County so special."

The announcement drew immediate engagement on the sheriff’s office Facebook page: 867 reactions, 182 comments, and 19 shares. Among the public responses printed with the post, Randa Veazie wrote, "Thank you for your service, Barry! We are so grateful for the many years you have served our county with integrity, kindness, and compassion. Growing up in Underwood and seeing the kind of dad, community member, and friend to many that you have been, it was clear you would lead Otter Tail County with those same strong values and you truly did. We will miss you but, wishing you a well deserved retirement filled with plenty of family time." Shorter replies included Ryan Hendrickson's "Congrats Sheriff!" and Jason Marquette's "Great Sherriff! Thanks for your time!"

County materials included in the reporting record show that the sheriff is an elected office listed among "Team Leaders" in Otter Tail County’s organizational definitions, and the county website posts anti-discrimination language and reporting procedures such as policy section 430.20. The Facebook statement does not mention any endorsement of a successor, a formal transition plan within the sheriff’s office, or a specific day in January 2027 for the end of the term.

Unanswered items for the county’s transition include whether Fitzgibbons will endorse a candidate for sheriff, whether he will file any formal retirement or withdrawal paperwork with the county election office, and whether county commissioners or the county administrator will issue statements or outline a transition plan before January 2027. Reporters will seek those details from the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office and county election officials.