By Sabrina Garrett
The Wilson Post

Robert Bryan was elected Wilson County Sheriff at the meeting of the Wilson County Commission Monday, Oct. 15 during the regular meeting of the Wilson County Commission.

Bryan served as former Sheriff Terry Ashe’s chief deputy, until Ashe officially resigned on Sept. 30. Ashe then appointed Bryan to serve as the acting sheriff until a vote could be made at this month’s commission meeting.

Commissioner Mike Justice said that the Law Enforcement Committee unanimously decided to nominate Bryan for the position of sheriff. Bryan’s opponent was Mt. Juliet Deputy Chief of Police James Hambrick. Bryan was elected by a vote of 19-2 with two members of the county commission choosing to abstain.

Bryan has served a combined 27 years with the Lebanon Police Department and Wilson County Sheriff’s Office. His father, Cecil, served as Wilson County Sheriff from 1968 until 1974. It was an emotional night for Bryan, whose father passed away 12 years ago Sunday.

“One of the last things he told me was to ‘stay focused, keep your eye on the ball and you will be sheriff one day.’ Well, Daddy was right again,” he said.

After being pinned with the same pin his father wore, Bryan promised to use his experience, training and ability to serve the residents of Wilson County and keep them safe.

He wished to thank God, his family and Terry Ashe for “having the confidence in me to continue his work that he has done so well for the past 30 years.”

Staff Writer Sabrina Garrett may be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it