On Sept. 30, Lt. Nehemiah Wolfe, will officially retire after more than 30 years with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
“Lt. Wolfe has been a true asset to this agency and to the people of Sumter County,” Sheriff William O. ‘Bill’ Farmer said. “I will miss him greatly and the people he serves will also.”
A lot of influences and experiences came together to make this exceptional Florida born-and-bred individual who he is today.
His story begins in rural Okahumpka, five miles south of Leesburg, with Wolfe’s birth into a relatively poor, devoutly religious two-parent family. His Dad, who passed in 2010, worked for the Leesburg sanitation department. His parents instilled good Southern Baptist morals and values into their children’s lives.
“Those were good times,” Wolfe recalls, “when people trusted one another, and a person’s word and handshake could be relied upon. Everyone knew everyone; neighbors were friendly and helped each other. They left keys in their car ignitions and left house doors unlocked, sometimes even wide open to catch the breeze.”
Something of a workaholic all his life, Wolfe helped his father build houses, and cut lawns as soon as he was able to pitch in — always seeking out ways to earn extra money for the family. At age 17, he had saved enough to pay for his own car.
Young Nehemiah Wolfe played high school football — including varsity football for two and a half years. He was invited to attend Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona and Florida A&M in Tallahassee — but preferred to stay close to his parents and siblings.
“We didn’t have a lot of material things, but there was a lot of love in our family,” he said with sentiment.
Truth be known, Wolfe played noteworthy football, but his high school team only won one game. From this experience, Wolfe learned teamwork, and how to handle adversity and frustration. One of his teachers suggested he look into law enforcement, and Sumter County Sheriff James “Jamie” Adams agreed to take him on after he completed schooling for certification to work in the county’s prison system.
According to Sumter County Sheriff’s Office archives, Wolfe was hired on June 12, 1985 to work at the Detention Center, and later became a road patrol deputy — rising to the rank of lieutenant.
Sheriff Farmer, was elected in 1996.
“Lt. Wolfe not only has a passion for helping people, but has compassion to help our youth,” Farmer said. “He has a soft spot in his heart for the less fortunate that do without at Christmas.”
Wolfe has spearheaded a children’s Christmas Toy giveaway for years at the sheriff’s office.
“We pray at work, and we feel the devotion helps us in what we are able to do,” Lt. Wolfe related.
He has nothing but good words for both Sheriff Adams and Sheriff Farmer as employers. Wolfe feels blessed to have benefited from many opportunities while with the Sheriff’s Office. He was able to attend the Law Enforcement Academy, which was at Lake Technical Institute.
“It was #2 in the State,” Wolfe said proudly. “Most training programs comprised only 250 hours. Our curriculum included 600 training hours.”
The SCSO has grown markedly during Wolfe’s tenure, from four deputies in the patrol division to seventeen now on each shift — not including school resource officers and support/office staff. The D.A.R.E. program was in place (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), and Wolfe was instrumental in adding G.R.E.A.T., which stood for Gang Resistance Education And Training.
“That program started in Phoenix, Arizona, with Senator McCain,” Wolfe recalled. “We didn’t have well entrenched gangs here, but we had wannabe gang members — and we sought to prevent any gang activity from growing.”
Wolfe derives a lot of satisfaction in being able to help within the communities, beyond his daily police work.
“There is no sanctuary from crime,” he said. “And we became involved early-on with youth in the schools. We wanted the kids to have good relationships with law enforcement; and we did all we could so the kids would have good opportunities to learn — clean clothes and shoes, and adequate school supplies. There are so many wonderful people in The Villages who help with volunteer work and donations. We do our best to connect the donors with the most needy — it all comes together for the kids.”
His law enforcement work has included some horrific experiences, including a local youngster accidentally run over by a power mower; and a child on the wrong path in Wildwood, who stole a car and burned down a house; but his work has also included positive opportunities to help educate citizens as part of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Academy; and at safe car and golf cart driving clinics.
“Lt. Wolfe has been a true ambassador for my agency in The Villages,” Sheriff Farmer stated. “His capability to solve problems in an admirable way has been a true asset to the residents of The Villages.”
Wolfe seems to have found a good balance for his life and work — and smiles when he says “Life is good. We have been very blessed.”
He has a son, age 30; and a younger son, 16, still living at home. He also helps care for his fiancée, Lori’s, young son, who is 17.
In his retirement, he plans to travel to see interesting parts of the United States — the fall colors in the Carolinas, for example; Washington, D.C., and perhaps a Caribbean cruise. He will be involved with the Sumter County Youth Center programs, and possibly Scouting.
“We’d like to see a Boy Scout chapter started in the Wildwood area,” he said.
“I’m still kind of young, so I haven’t ruled out working again in the future — at something involving young people,” he said. “I feel immensely blessed to have reached this point in my life after more than twenty years in law enforcement. “I’m still alive, I haven’t been shot or injured, I’m in pretty good health — and God is giving me more opportunities to work with people — that’s where my heart is.”
The Villages Homeowners Association will be roasting Lt. Wolfe at its Sept. 9 meeting at Lake Miona Recreation Center and a retirement luncheon will be held on Sept. 30 in his honor at the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters in Bushnell.
