Wakulla County Sheriff-elect Charlie Creel doesn’t take office until Jan. 8, but he’s already transitioning into the post he decisively won last week after a razor-thin loss four years ago.

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Creel met Wednesday with Sheriff Donnie Crum, who was appointed to the job in 2011 after longtime Sheriff David Harvey retired to head up the Florida Sheriffs Self-Insurance Fund.

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“He took me around and introduced me to all the employees,” Creel said. “They were very, very receptive. He was gracious enough to offer me – and I accepted – a transition office at the Sheriff’s Office that I can work out of. He’s going to let me be involved in everything that’s going on.”

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Creel, who begins working out of his new office today, said Crum agreed not to make any major personnel decisions during the transition period. Creel said that despite fears from some to the contrary, he’s not planning on cleaning house once he’s sworn into office, though he does expect Crum and his opponent in the Nov. 6 general election, Maj. Maurice Langston, to make their exits.

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