Staff photo by Fritz Busch Brown County Chief Deputy Jeremy Reed carries flowers he received on his last day on the job at the Brown County Law Enforcement Center Friday. Reed will become the Minnesota Hockey executive director in St. Paul.

NEW ULM — Outgoing Brown County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeremy Reed’s final radio message to his co-workers Friday was thanking them for their support during his 33 years in law enforcement.

One by one, sheriff’s office staff on duty thanked him for his service.

At 4 p.m. Friday, Reed walked out of the Brown County Law Enforcement Center for the final time.

“It’s been a lot of fun. This is a good group of people at the sheriff’s office and police department. I thanked everybody for their support and wish them good luck,” said Reed who worked in the New Ulm Police Department for 22 years as a patrolman, K-9 officer and investigator, reaching the rank of sergeant before joining the sheriff’s department.

Now he’s moving on to become the executive director of Minnesota Hockey. The organization has provided volunteer services for the development and promotion of state youth hockey since 1947.

A former New Ulm High School girls hockey coach, Reed served as District 4 director on the state board, was a committee chairman and Minnesota Hockey operations vice president for five years.

“I’m pretty fortunate to be able to work in a career involving hockey too, which I’m pretty passionate about. Law enforcement and hockey crossed paths. I have another opportunity,” he said. “Giving my final sign-off (for law enforcement radio) is kind of surreal. I’ve worked with some great people and including big mentors over the years in law enforcement.”

Reed said he’ll miss is law enforcement co-workers.

“They’re a very good, supportive group of people. In my years of law enforcement, the times have changed. Now I’m excited about new challenges ahead with hockey, he said. “It’s a great opportunity to move on. I always wondered what I would do when I retire from law enforcement. It happened a few years earlier than I originally anticipated.”

Reed said he plans to put his new plant in his new office in the Treasure Island Center building in downtown St. Paul.