YATES COUNTY, N.Y. — After more than three decades as Yates County Sheriff, Ron Spike is signing off.

Sheriff Spike is retiring after a 53-year career in law enforcement. Spike was hired as a deputy in 1970. He was promoted to chief deputy in 198 until he was elected to his first term as sheriff in 1992.

His father, George Spike, was sheriff in Yates County from 1958 until his death in 1981.

Francis Ryan will take over as sheriff on January 1.