In what can be described as the culmination of a career marked by dedication and service, the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office hosted a retirement ceremony for a duo who’ve long stood as pillars of community law enforcement—Sgt. Tom Bunch and Deputy Susan Bunch. Tom Bunch's journey from the Army to the Sheriff's Office is a testament to the interconnected tapestries of service and support, marking an era that now gracefully transitions to retirement, along with his wife, Susan, whose contribution for over a decade in the Warrants and Records Division has been invaluable.
Starting his career in the Sheriff’s Office back in 1995, Sgt. Bunch's path evolved from patrol deputy to the Narcotics Division, and his work often saw him collaborating with federal agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, some of these details were revealed in a touching social media post from the Sheriff’s Office, it became clear that Bunch's dedication did not waver as he served in various capacities including as an undercover detective, a school resource officer, and eventually managing the Evidence Unit.
The retirement ceremony was marked by heartfelt farewells and an acknowledgment of the couple's deep-rooted connections within the department. Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh expressed the collective sentiment, saying, "We’re going to miss you," and hinting at the irreplaceable void their departure would create, although the offer to rescind the retirement was playfully rejected by Susan, her resolve underlined by a firm "No, you can’t," in what was a moment of levity during the proceedings. Susan Bunch, recalling her early experiences with the department, echoed the sentiment of family, a cornerstone of her tenure, telling her colleagues, "You all are family," expressing love and the inevitable longing their absence would bring.
With the closing of one chapter, the Bunches now look forward to new horizons, as travel beckons the couple in their retirement years—Sgt. Tom Bunch shared plans for seasonal exploration, starting with Arizona in the winter, and then journeying northward to witness sights unseen during his decades-long commitment to law and order, their anticipation for adventure was apparent as Tom Bunch told his colleagues, "We will spend the winter in Arizona and work our way up North and see things we’ve never seen before," signaling the start of excursions grounded not in duty, but in discovery.
