Photographers for The Natchez Democrat get many opportunities to work near the Adams County sheriff.

They follow the county’s top law enforcement official from the highs of election night to the lows of murder scenes and fatal car wrecks.

Photographers witness how the sheriff acts and reacts in a variety of circumstances.

It does not take too long to form an opinion of the personality or character of the people you cover — at least it didn’t for this photographer when it came to Adams County Sheriff Ronny Brown.

In 2003, I covered the night that Brown was voted into office. It was a joyous scene that ushered in a new era of law enforcement for the county.

Even though I saw Brown at crime scenes and meetings ranging from board of supervisors meeting to Neighborhood Watch, it was hard to find an image of him to publish as a portrait with Thursday’s story reporting his death from a heart attack.

That was not because he wasn’t working crime scenes. As much as Brown liked to be in the middle of it all, he felt like it was more important for his deputies to get the credit.

In all but one instance, I can remember Brown pointing out the good things that his deputies were doing, instead of making sure he was getting in the shot.

He shied away from the camera, unless it was for his wife Angie. Luckily for me, Angie and Ronny agreed to be photographed for a feature story on scrapbooking. The smile of Ronny’s face as Angie kissed his cheek that day added a new whole new dimension to the man.

Running a sheriff’s office in a small town is a hard job. It includes jail management, law enforcement, administrative duties and deputy oversight. All that amid a politically charged atmosphere, sometimes makes for long, grueling hours.

Despite the demands, Brown always met people with the same affable smile and approachable attitude.

The last time I had the chance to speak to Ronny was at the scene of a fatal car wreck on Christmas Day.

A teen had swerved off Southwind Road into a tree that afternoon.

Working the scene, Brown approached me to give what few details he had about the wreck.

Deputies and emergency personnel were busy working the scene. Brown and others were waiting for a relative to reach the scene.

As the father of the teen walked up to the crowd, Brown abruptly interrupted our conversation to counsel the father.

Taking on the responsibility, Brown calmly and quietly relayed the news to the worried father.

With a sudden shudder, the father dropped to the ground in distress. Brown and his deputies spent the next moments helping him to the side of the road into the arms of family and friends.

As Brown turned back to continue our conversation, tears welled up in the sheriff’s eyes.

“That is the hardest thing that a sheriff has to do,” Ronny said. “No one likes to do that, especially on Christmas Day.”

Brown understood that the most important thing about being sheriff is the people the sheriff swears to protect and serve.

And for that he will be missed.

Ben Hillyer is the Web editor of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3540.