Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette Sheriff Bill Luokkanen announced he will retire from law enforcement on May 15, 2020. Here, he is pictured during a Christmas charity program operated out of the Sheriff’s Office. After several years idle, Luokkanen revised the program shortly after becoming Sheriff in 2017.

EAGLE RIVER — Sheriff William (Bill) Luokkanen announced his retirement from law enforcement, effective May 15, 2020, after 30 years of service. He will, however, continue to serve the people of the county in emergency services as a firefighter and a licensed medical first responder.

Luokkanen announced his retirement at the regular monthly county board meeting on April 15.

“I have enjoyed working with you all throughout the years and appreciate your dedication to the county of Keweenaw as well as your hard work and cooperation with this office during my tenure as Sheriff,” Luokkanen stated in a letter to the board.

Luokkanen said he has accepted a position in a non-law enforcement-related field and will continue to live in Keweenaw County, but while it is a not a secret, he preferred not to state the place of new employment publicly, for the sake of any publicity it may cause.

“I wish to thank you for enabling this office to succeed and grow over the past four years,” he wrote. “I am honored to have worked with people such as yourselves who share my passion for public safety and desire to protect and serve the citizens of Keweenaw County.”

Upon Luokkanen’s retirement next month, Curt Pennala, the current county undersheriff, has been appointed to assume the sheriff’s position.

In an April 16 statement from the Keweenaw County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Prosecutor Charles W. Miller stated the the Keweenaw County Probate Judge, Clerk and Prosecuting Attorney “are in agreement that the current undersheriff, Curt Pennala, is the best person to fill the vacancy.”

The statement went on to say that Pennela will become sheriff effective May 16, 2020.