Troy Police Sgt. Benny Scarbrough retires with lots of laughs and salty tears

With a lot of laughs and a few salty tears, Troy Police Sgt. Benny Scarbrough closed out his 30-year career in law enforcement Thursday afternoon.

Scarbrough’s fellow officers, family and friends and city and county officials packed the Troy Municipal Courtroom to honor the man who has been the voice and the conscience of the Troy Police Department for three decades.

Troy Police Chief Jimmy Ennis spoke of Scarbrough’s dedication to his job, his family, his community and his Savior. He spoke of the retiring public information officer’s loyalty, his devotion, knowledge, problem solving ability and his integrity.

“Sgt. Benny Scarbrough is a loyal employee who is dedicated to duty,” Ennis said. “He is a knowledgeable advisor and an outstanding negotiator and that is a vital part of police work.”

Ennis thanked Scarbrough for his 30-plus years as a community protector and servant. He congratulated him on his retirement and wished him all the best and cautioned him to “sit steady in the boat.”

Scarbrough asked to take the podium to let everyone know how much it has meant to him to serve the people that are his friends and neighbors.

“This is a special day for me and my family,” he said. “It has been quite a journey that we’ve had here. We’ve had good experiences and bad experiences. We’ve lived through them and we’ve survived. We’ve weathered the storms. And, I stand here without a doubt or regret.”

Scarbrough said it has been a privilege to serve the Troy Police Department and to serve his Lord and Savior.

“I owed a price that I could not pay,” he said. “Jesus paid the price for me.”

Scarbrough thanked his family: his wife, Dawn and his daughter, Emily and her husband, Daniel Jordan for their love and support of his chosen career. “I could not have done it without them.”

He also thanked Ennis and his fellow officers, retired police chiefs Grady Reeves and Anthony Everage, Troy Mayor Jason Reeves, former mayor Jimmy Lunsford and the Troy City Council.

“You are a great group of individuals,” Scarbrough said. “It was an honor to serve with you and for you. But it was not about us. It was about service to the people. Thank you for sharing this special day with me. God bless every one of you.”

One by one, Scarbrough’s friends took the podium to thank him for his service and pay tribute to the officer and the man.

Reeves said he has known Scarbrough since in was 10 year old and has always known him to be “an honorable man.”

“You could not hold up a man any higher than Benny Scarbrough,” he said.

District Attorney Tom Anderson characterized Scarbrough as good, honest and godly.

Pike County Sheriff Russell Thomas said he has never seen Scarbrough when he looked like he was having a bad day.

Others echoed the same sentiments about the retiring Troy Police Department’s public information officer.

But, there was another side to Scarbrough that his longtime friend and fellow police officer Lewis Fannin brought to light.

Fannin told “tales” of a young Scarbrough who was prone to more than a little mischief but grew up to be a leader among men.

“There’s no finer man in the world than Benny Scarbrough,” he said.

The large crowd that gathered to congratulate Scarbrough was a testament to that.

“Benny loves the Lord, his family and his fellowman,” Everage said. “What more can be said about a man than that?”