NORWICH – The time is right for a change, said Chenango County Sheriff Thomas J. Loughren Tuesday upon formally announcing his decision to step down from his post on June 8.

The Oxford native and 28-year veteran of the county Sheriff’s Office told reporters attending a press conference at the Public Safety Facility that it has been “the greatest honor of my life” to serve the community.

“We’ve had many very high-profile murder cases here and I take great pride in the convictions. I leave a staff much better than I ever was at the beginning when I used to micromanage everything. The folks are good here. The politicians have supported me, and I will miss, without a doubt, my staff,” he said.

Loughren, who is 57, made headlines two weeks ago when another news outlet discovered he had been sworn into a new post as police chief for the Miccosukee Police Department in Miami, Fla. While some county lawmakers were privy to the Sheriff’s intentions, several expressed surprise at his rapid decision to accept a new job.

Loughren said he had intended to officially notify the public upon his return from a month-long Florida vacation. He told reporters that he was not “the retiring type” and was solicited for the new position. He was a federal and state law enforcement officer with the Miccosukee Police Department back in the early 80s and with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in 1989.

Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Richard B. Decker, R-North Norwich, said Tuesday evening that he was unaware that the Sheriff had held the media conference yesterday, and said he did not know what date Loughren would leave his post.

“Nobody notified me of the press conference,” said Decker, “but I’m technically not his boss. He’s elected; it’s not like he’s an employee.”

Decker said that a representative of New York State Governor David Paterson’s office called last Friday in regards to the media reports about Loughren accepting a new job. He said state law mandates county officials to report such retirements to the state.