Lt. Russ Thomas has been selected as the Pike County Sheriff’s Office Investigator of the year.

Thomas serves as the PCSO’s team leader for the Special Response Team. In addition to leading the SRT, Thomas is a dedicated investigator for the sheriff’s office.

Pike County Sheriff Russell Thomas said Thomas has a thorough and methodical approach to investigating, which has led to significant breakthroughs and successful resolutions to complex drug and theft investigations. For that reason, Sheriff Thomas said Russ Thomas had been selected as the PCSO’s Investigator of the Year.

“Being selected as the Investigator of the Year is an exceptionally high honor,” Russ Thomas said. “Ive worked around some of the best police and law enforcement officers around the state. And, I can say I’m around some of the best investigators everyday in the Pike County Sheriff’s Office.

“They’re hard working and dedicated to the job. I think a lot of them are more deserving of the award than I am. It’s an exceptional honor. Everyday, I come to work and try to do the best job I can for the Pike County Sheriff’s Office and the community.”

Russ Thomas is the son of Sheriff Russell Thomas, and he said growing up around the men and women in the sheriff’s office had a big impact on his life.

“Obviously my father had a lot to do with my decision to go into law enforcement,” Russ Thomas said. “I looked up to him and idolized the men and women in law enforcement. As a kid, I got to do some ride-alongs with them and go to a few calls. It was just fun being around people of that calibre.”

Russ Thomas graduated from Troy University and served in the United States Air Force before landing a part-time job as a jailer for the PCSO.

“When I got out of college, I thought I wanted to go into federal law enforcement,” he said. “I was working part-time at the jail and that was when I found out I really wanted to be in local law enforcement. I realized Pike County is where I wanted to raise my family.”

Russ Thomas said he doesn’t know what the future holds for him in law enforcement. He said he’d never focused on promotions or accolades, he always focused on doing the best job possible. According to Russ Thomas, working hard and doing a good job was what led to future opportunities.

“I’m living the dream where I’m at right now,” Russ Thomas said. “I just want to work hard and do the best possible job I can for the Pike County Sheriff’s Office.”