There’s a new sheriff in town, and the story behind that has been years in the making.
On July 25, Kent Oberkrom retired as Henry County Sheriff after filling that role for 27 years and serving longer than any of the previous office holders. He, along with his wife Diane, received a warm sendoff from family, friends and colleagues the evening before he retired. Oberkrom then immediately reported for his next full‐time job as a governor‐appointed member of the Missouri Board of Probation & Parole in Jefferson City.
Also on July 25, Aaron Brown took his oath of office as the new sheriff, officially assuming duty at 12:01 a.m. the following day. (Brown had been running uncontested in the county primary election set for August 6.) Brown said he had set his sights on the role of sheriff five years ago, but some could say the seed was planted much earlier when he was a 14‐year‐old kid from Montrose.
Brown, now 35, explained that a program called Explorers gave youth interested in law enforcement the chance to take part in hands‐on activities ranging from finger printing to photography to search and rescue. No matter the activity, Brown said, the Oberkroms were an encouraging presence.
In 2010, Brown became the first black deputy in the Henry County Sheriff’s Department when Kent Oberkrom offered him a full‐time position. Brown continued to work for the department while attending the University of Central Missouri. Most recently, he worked for the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department as undersheriff.
The role of sheriff looks quite different in 2024 than it did when Oberkrom was first elected. He began with 12 employees and retired with 40. In the beginning, traditional law enforcement required about 60 percent of his time and administration the remaining 40 percent. When he left, he said the ratio was closer to 80 percent and 20 percent. In later years when he made a traffic stop, he joked that “one or two deputies would show up to make sure I knew what I was doing.”
For Brown, stepping into the position of sheriff is different in another significant way: He is the first black sheriff to serve Henry County and one of only four black sheriffs in the entire state.
He said that during his 14 years in law enforcement, he has become accustomed to the second looks he receives, particularly at large‐scale training for law enforcement, not only because of his race but also because of his age. He was one of two black deputies in Johnson County, and often is the only minority at the table in other settings.
“My color is the elephant in the room,” he said, because frequently no one mentions it.
Even so, Brown said he found widespread community support in his hometown of Montrose. When he joined the Henry County Sheriff’s Department, Oberkrom sent him to Windsor after a positive yet realistic conversation. Shortly after Brown arrived there, a local firefighter introduced himself, invited him to dinner and said to call him if he ever needed anything.
“The community took care of me from day one,” he said.
Oberkrom and Brown both said what has not changed in nearly three decades of running a sheriff’s department is balancing budgets and securing funding. Oberkrom said grants play an important role, and sales tax initiatives have helped with operation and salary costs. Brown said he hopes for a day when deputies do not need to pay for any of their uniforms or equipment out of their own pockets.
The two also agree that technology is rapidly changing the way crimes are investigated.
