Sheriff says see-ya

Butte County Sheriff Perry Reniff (pictured) is calling it a career after serving the Sheriff’s Office for more than 37 years, including spending the last seven as the top cop.

Reniff, who serves as the county’s sheriff and coroner, took the reins of the agency after a hard-fought campaign against former Sheriff Scott Mackenzie in the spring of 2002.

Departing about three-quarters of the way through the second term of his elected post, Reniff has recommended to Butte County’s Board of Supervisors that Sheriff’s Capt. Jerry Smith fill the position on an interim basis. The electorate will make the permanent decision come next fall.

The 58-year-old lawman announced his retirement last week. He’s stepping down effective Dec. 30, and in a written statement cited health reasons as the cause: “As is often the case, our bodies are not always capable of living up to our expectations or intentions, and in my case, hypertension is taking an increasingly troublesome toll.”