Chatham County Sheriff Al St. Lawrence has died, the Sheriff's Office announced in a statement.

St. Lawrence had been battling cancer since at least July, when he disclosed his condition to the department's command staff. Earlier this month, a sheriff's office spokesperson confirmed St. Lawrence was still in command of the agency despite his illness and reports to the contrary.

St. Lawrence was elected Sheriff in 1992. He was named Georgia Sheriffs Association Sheriff of the Year twice, in 1995 and 2015.

Tags: Chatham County, al st lawrence, cancer, sheriff