Although the election for a new Madera County Sheriff is two years away, one person has already filed his papers to run for the office.

Greg Noll, 49, a resident of Oakhurst and 27-year police veteran, has announced he wants to be the county's next sheriff.

Sheriff John Anderson, who is in the middle of his fourth four-year term, has publicly stated he will not seek reelection in 2014.

A 1981 graduate of Yosemite High School, Noll received his AA degree from Fresno City in Police Administration and his bachelor degree in criminology from California State University, Fresno.

Noll is a graduate of the Sherman Block Leadership Institute and was recognized by the Exchange Club of Fresno as the "Top Cop" in 1998. Before working in Fresno, he was with the Santa Cruz Police department.

He served with the Santa Cruz Police Department for eight years before joining the Fresno Police Department 19 years ago.

He is currently a detective sergeant in the southwest district in Fresno. He served as the executive director of Fresno PAL (Police Activities League), helping plan programs for children.

Noll worked for the Santa Cruz Police Department for eight years prior to moving to Eastern Madera County.

He has been involved in both investigations and the training of new recruits and has worked in a variety of assignments, both administrative and community based, including writing and managing grants. He also worked in an off-road patrol that focused on the San Joaquin Parkway which divides Fresno and Madera County.

"I am actively involved with the program "Bringing Broken Neighborhoods Back to Life," which works with a variety of church groups and other government agencies to improve neighborhoods from the inside," Noll said. "I truly believe community involvement is the key to impacting crime on a long term basis."

"I have a passion for Madera County and feel it is important for the next sheriff to continue with the programs started by Sheriff John Anderson and work towards increasing community involvement throughout the county," Noll said.