Writer / Teena Catt
Sheriff Duane Burgess will retire from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department on Dec. 31, 2026, after 38 years of service. His interest in public safety began early: While attending Center Grove High School, where he graduated in 1988, he volunteered with his local fire department. He started his law enforcement career as a county dispatcher and went on to serve in nearly every area of the department, including jail operations and management, road patrol, DARE, homicide investigations and ultimately two terms as county sheriff.
Chief Deputy Andrew Barnhart summed up his thoughts on Burgess: “Sheriff Duane Burgess has driven many transformative leaps forward for our department. Under his leadership, the Sheriff ’s Office has made critical technological advancements, fought for employee pay equity and successfully delivered major infrastructure projects, including the training center renovation and the 2021 jail expansion. He established one of Indiana’s pioneer Crisis Intervention Teams—a program that now serves as a model and trains departments statewide—while maintaining a relentless focus on community safety through ongoing child predator stings, major drug warrant sweeps and targeted OWI and aggressive driving enforcement.”
Barnhart said Burgess has led with exceptional integrity and created the department’s most open and approachable administration. “I am extremely honored to have been part of his administration, and I am proud to say Johnson County is better because of Sheriff Burgess’ leadership over the past eight years,” Barnhart said.
Burgess describes himself as a “Smith Valley kid” with deep roots in Johnson County. He and his wife, Dee Ann, remain active in local events and organizations. Burgess is a member of the Johnson County Shrine Club, has served as president of Mount Pleasant Cemetery, belongs to the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association and is involved with the Franklin Boys and Girls Club. In his free time, he enjoys camping, traveling, riding golf cart trails, attending live country music events and cheering for the Green Bay Packers. Though he and Dee Ann consider themselves homebodies, they especially enjoy camping in Brown County and Gatlinburg. They also value time with family, their French bulldogs and their cat. Burgess said he enjoys country living and watching deer graze nearby.
Major Andy Fisher said it has been “an absolute honor” to know Sheriff Burgess as a mentor, coworker and friend. He said Burgess’ leadership, dedication to the community and heartfelt approach to important issues have taught him a great deal. Fisher, who is running unopposed for sheriff in November, has long hoped to one day hold the position.
Burgess said that once he learned of Fisher’s goal, he began helping prepare him for the responsibility. Looking back on his own career, Burgess said he was fortunate to be mentored by the exceptional sheriffs who served before him. He said Dan Blankenship, in particular, offered guidance both professionally and personally and helped him chart the next steps in his career.
Burgess said the department is “my baby,” and he hopes Fisher will continue to help it grow while mentoring someone else to keep that progress moving forward. Fisher understands he has big shoes to fill, but he is committed to doing everything he can to build on Burgess’ work and take the department even further. “It has truly been an honor to have spent the time with him that I have at the Sheriff ’s Office,” Fisher said.
When asked what he is most proud of from his time as sheriff, Burgess pointed to two accomplishments. First, he said he is proud of the department’s morale, noting that employees are happy to come to work each day. He believes it is important for staff members to feel valued, and during his tenure, he has worked to secure wage increases to help retain quality employees. Second, he said he is especially proud of the department’s new training facilities and technology upgrades.
As the end of the year approaches, Burgess said he is beginning to feel the bittersweetness of closing a meaningful chapter while looking ahead to the future.
“I feel like I still have a lot to give back to the community,” Burgess said. He does not plan to retire completely and is running for the District 1 seat on the Johnson County Council. Through his years of experience, he said he has gained a strong understanding of county operations and wants to remain involved in county matters.
His philosophy is that in any agency, success is not about who is in charge, but about what people can accomplish together as a team.
