COEUR d'ALENE - Sheriff Rocky Watson, who has held his title with the county for a collective 16 years, confirmed on Friday that he will not run for re-election.

"I'm just going to retire," Watson said. "I've been at this a long time."

Soon to turn 67, Watson said one of his biggest accomplishments while running the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department has been expanding the Citizens on Patrol volunteer program.

The need has been driven by limited budget over recent years, he added.

"We have over 300 volunteers providing services to the community," he said.

He has also been instrumental in creating multi-agency specialty teams, he said, like specialty crime units, SWAT teams and dive teams.

"Just establishing working relationships with all the other departments so that we do things together," he said.

Spokespeople for the sheriff's department couldn't be reached late Friday afternoon to comment on Watson's accomplishments.

Commissioner Todd Tondee said on Friday that he hadn't heard of Watson's plans and did not wish to comment.

Originally from Post Falls and now living in Rathdrum, Watson worked for the Post Falls Police Department after getting out of the Marines in 1967.

He was elected sheriff for the first time in 1977 and served his full term up to 1981. Afterward, he worked with his wife, Mary, at their own industrial security agency, which covered the five western states and Canada.

Watson was appointed sheriff again in 1999, to finish the term of retiring Sheriff Pierce Clegg. He was elected in 2000, then again in 2004 and again in 2008.

"It feels fine," he said of what it's like to leave his position.

According to the department's website, the sheriff's department has increased dramatically during Watson's reign, now with roughly 275 employees and an annual budget of more than $16 million. He also oversees a 350-bed jail.

Watson hasn't given thought of what he would like to accomplish before the next sheriff's election in November 2012, he said.

But he does have plans for retirement.

"I'd like to spend some time traveling with my wife," he said.

He couldn't say who is likely to step up to replace him, Watson added.

"There are several people in my command staff who are very qualified and have groomed themselves for that step," he said. "I don't know which ones will take that step. Some have talked about it, but it's a big step."