Watson sworn in as Alachua County’s 1st new sheriff in 14 years

At noon, Tuesday, Jan. 5, in front of the Alachua County Criminal Courthouse, Clovis Watson, Jr. was officially sworn in as the Alachua County Sheriff. Watson joined his fellow Constitutional Officers serving Alachua County at the swearing in ceremony.

Watson previously served as a state representative serving District 20, which covered parts of Alachua and Marion counties. Prior to his eight-year stint as state representative, he was the Alachua City Manager and prior to that he was the City of Alachua Deputy Police Chief.

Watson grew up in the Merrillwood projects in Alachua and graduated from Santa Fe High School, Santa Fe College, Law Enforcement Certification; Santa Fe College, AS, Criminal Justice Technology; University of Alabama, BA, Interdisciplinary Studies, Human Services; Mountain State University, MA, Interdisciplinary Studies, Public Administration; Northcentral University, MBA; Harvard University John F. Kennedy Graduate School of Government Executive Education, Leadership for the 21st Century.

Watson was sworn in by fellow Santa Fe High School graduate the Honorable Judge Susanne Wilson Bullard.

Other constitutional officers sworn in Tuesday include Kim Barton as Alachua County Supervisor of Elections, J.K. “Jess” Irby as the Alachua County clerk of the Court, Brian S. Kramer as the State Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit, Ayesha Solomon as the Alachua County Property appraiser, John Power as the Alachua County Tax Collector, and Stacy A. Scott as the Public Defender for the Eighth Judicial Circuit,