TIFTON — Gene Scarbrough was sworn in for his second four year term as Tift County sheriff Wednesday.

Scarbrough won handily against challenger Steve Wood with over 80 percent of the vote in the May primary.

The 2012 race between Scarbrough and Wood was very close, with Scarbrough taking approximately 54 percent of the vote to Wood’s 45 percent.

After he was sworn in, Scarbrough thanked his deputies and investigators for the success of his first four years. Approximately 20 employees of the Sheriff’s Office were in the courtroom to witness the swearing in.

When asked what he was most proud of accomplishing during his first term, Scarbrough said he felt the sheriff’s office had all gotten “on the same page.”

“We’ve developed a good working relationship that reflects what we do with the public,” he said.

During his next term, his goal is to “be better than we were during the first four years.”

He cited a decline in street violence and better drug intervention strategies implemented during his term, but said that they could always do better.

“We want to be better, and be better stewards of the county’s resources,” he said.