Gov. DeSantis taps Emery Gainey as Alachua County Sheriff
There will soon be a new Sheriff in town in Alachua County.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed fellow Republican Emery Gainey to take over the Alachua Sheriff’s Office next month.
He will replace Sheriff Clovis Watson, who in August tendered his resignation, effective Oct. 1, after spending about two months on extended medical leave amid numerous issues within his department.
Gainey is set to step in the following day and serve through the 2024 election.
The appointment brings the law enforcement professional full circle. Born in Gainesville, the county seat, Gainey, 64, began his police career in 1982 with the Alachua Sheriff’s Office. During his 25-year tenure there, he rose to the rank of ca...
