MACHIAS – After more than 35 years in law enforcement, Washington County Sheriff Joseph Tibbetts plans to hang up his 45 mm Glock in December in exchange – “hopefully” – for a seat in the big House.

The state House of Representatives, that is.

Specifically, House District 33, which includes Addison, Beals, Cherryfield, Columbia, Columbia Falls, Harrington, Jonesport, Milbridge and Steuben. Rep. Eddie Dugay, D-Cherryfield, whose tenure will end because of term limits, currently holds the seat.

Although Tibbetts, 57, sees politics in the future, it was as a kid that he decided he wanted to be a cop.

He started with the Old Town Police Department in 1970, and three years later he was hired by the Maine State Police.

“Years ago the qualifications to be a Maine state trooper [were] some common sense and a big deep burning desire to be a Maine state trooper,” he said.

Initially he was assigned to Troop D in the Augusta area, but later transferred to Troop J in East Machias. He worked long shifts of six days on, two days off.

Tibbetts recalled a time he had to work 37 hours straight. A tractor-trailer had crashed on Route 191, and a snowstorm made it difficult to clean up the scene. Five-gallon cans of gasoline had to be ferried to him to keep his cruiser going. “Finally, I was able to leave. I went about 21/2 miles and lost my transmission because the car had been idling so long,” he said. Another trooper took him home.

Seven hours later there was a murder in Machiasport. “I went to the homicide and I worked 32 hours there straight before they sent me home,” he said with a chuckle. “That’s the deep burning desire.”

He retired from the state police in November 1994. A month later, Sheriff John Crowley hired him as his chief deputy.

Four years later, Crowley retired. Tibbetts ran for sheriff and won. He took office Jan. 1, 1999.

He has a staff of 130 that includes administrators, deputies, and jail and communications staff.

Born in Jonesport, he was raised in Columbia Falls. He married his high school love, Sharon Kane, in May 1970. They have two sons, a daughter and a foster son. He is grandfather to five.

Between high school and police work he sandwiched in a tour of duty with the Army and served in Vietnam. For the first few months his tour of duty involved traipsing through the jungles of Vietnam.

Later he transferred to a gun jeep unit where he became a vehicle commander. “We had jeeps with 3/4-ton power wagons. We had .50 calibers mounted on them. We escorted convoys and if they got hit we’d lay down base fire. That was a good job. You didn’t have to do any more running through the mud or walking. Got blown up a few times,” he said. “Now, that messes up your whole day.”

Tibbetts recalled one incident.

Ordinarily he was the jeep’s radio operator, but on that particular day he switched duties with a soldier who was new to the mission. The convoy was getting ready to go into a “hot area, ” he said. “I wanted to be on the gun because I had spent a lot of time on the gun as opposed to him,” he said. The jeep was hit by enemy fire and the radio operator and driver were killed. I walked away,” he said quietly.

Tibbetts is a disabled veteran with multiple medical disabilities, including Agent Orange poisoning.

Pondering more than three decades of police work, Tibbetts said his most difficult case was a multiple shooting in Machiasport. He was one of the first officers on the scene.

In 1991, Richard Uffelman was convicted of the murder of his neighbors Michael and Florence Phillips, a couple who lived across the street from his home. They had gone for an evening walk, and because of past problems with the Uffelman family, the Phillipses had videotaped the walk. The couple’s son was in their house.

Uffelman’s sons, then 10 and 12 years old, also fired on the Phillipses. “That was just heartbreaking to know that they actually had shot,” he said. “That in itself was a tragedy, let alone lose two lives and ruin the life of another child and family members.”

Now just months away from retirement, Tibbetts has a paunch and a realization that facing down criminals is scarier then it once was.

Last year, a man armed with a gun barricaded himself in a building in Machias. “I went out into the yard and was talking to him on the cell phone and showed him that I wasn’t carrying a gun. I was nervous because you could see him open the window shade with the barrel of a gun,” he said. The “perp” later surrendered.

The affable sheriff loves to hunt and fish, and armed with multiple retirement checks could easily float into the sunset on a comfortable cloud.

But not Tibbetts. He plans to run for the House seat in November. A born talker, Tibbetts admits he lacks political panache. If elected he’ll more than likely wear a camouflage shirt and khakis, not a suit and tie. Although he doesn’t appear to fit the mold of politician, he feels he can make a difference. “I have no agenda. I want to go there, I want to work and I want to help my constituents,” he said.

And he won’t campaign while on duty. “I will not use county properties, or any county equipment or my position to run for this office,” he said. “Even if it wasn’t against the law, it shouldn’t be done.”