Next month, a new sheriff will strap on the badge in San Diego County.
Sheriff Bill Kolender, 73, announced in April month that he would retire after leading the department for 14 years.
The county began accepting applications for interim sheriff in mid-May. On Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors appointed Undersheriff Bill Gore as Kolender's replacement.
"It's a tremendous responsibility," said Gore, who was Kolender's handpicked successor. "It's a great honor to me to be able to lead what I consider to be one of the best law enforcement agencies in the entire country."
Gore became undersheriff in 2004. Previously, he had been the head of the FBI's San Diego office. His competition for sheriff included former sheriff's Lt. James Duffy, former San Diego police Chief David Bejarano, state legislator Jay LeSuer and former sheriff's Sgt. Bruce Ruff.
Kolender was 73 years old when he announced his retirement and has been in poor health. He will retire as the oldest of California's 58 county sheriffs. He began his career in law enforcement as a San Diego police officer in 1956.
Gore said he plans to run in the 2010 election for county sheriff.
