Sheriff Bobby Riles began his law enforcement career in 1969 working as a Deputy Sheriff for the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, attending the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy Basic Police School in 1970.  In 1971 he attended the Tennessee Highway Patrol Basic Recruit School and became a Tennessee State Trooper working in the Dyersburg area.  Riles continued to work as a State Trooper until 1974.  In 1984 Riles returned to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and was later promoted to the position of Sergeant and served as a shift commander.  In 1988 Riles was promoted to Captain in charge of the Criminal Investigations Division where he served in that position until August 3, 2006, at which time he was elected Sheriff of Fayette County.  On September 1, 2006 Sheriff James R. “Bobby” Riles was sworn-in to office for a four-year term serving the third largest county in the State of Tennessee.