Vernon Betts

Betts — who has become known for saying just about anything — will depart at the end of the year after losing the Democratic primary to former deputy Alfred Montgomery.

Sheriff-elect Alfred Montgomery said he plans on replacing more than a dozen senior staffers with seasoned law enforcement veterans from the region on Jan. 1.

Their conflict started when Betts fired Alfred Montgomery, then a sheriff’s deputy, after he announced his first (and unsuccessful) run for the position in 2019.

St. Louis Sheriff Vernon Betts had officers remove a St. Louis Public Radio photojournalist attempting to photograph a land tax sale auction held in front of the Civil Courts Building earlier this week.

Sheriff Vernon Betts lost to Alfred Montgomery by a little over 200 votes.

Vernon Betts initially lost the August Democratic primary to a former deputy, Alfred Montgomery, by 256 votes. Because the margin was less than 1%, Betts was entitled to a recount under law.

A judge authorized a recount in the Democratic primary for sheriff to be completed by Tuesday afternoon. Initial results showed incumbent Vernon Betts losing by 256 votes out of more than 45,000 cast.

Incumbent Vernon Betts lost to Alfred Montgomery, a former sheriff’s deputy, by 256 votes on Aug. 6.

The 35-year-old was left in his own feces for days, his attorney said.

Deputy Steve Chalmers claims Sheriff Vernon Betts demoted him and used racial slurs because Chalmers didn’t support him in the last two elections. A recorded phone call allegedly captures Betts disparaging the deputy for not supporting him politically.