The lobby of the Kingfi sher County Courthouse was full Thursday morning.

There wasn’t a big court case taking place, but rather a changing of the guard in several offices inside the courthouse walls and beyond.

Thursday - the first business day of 2025 - saw officers be sworn in to four different county posts sheriff, court clerk, county clerk and commissioner.

“I’m here to see the change happen,” said Mike Shults, a longtime officer with the Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office, before dropping the clichéd - but true - line.

“There’s a new sheriff in town.”

That sheriff is Aaron Pitts, the now-former Hennessey Police Department chief who won a primary runoff election over Jonathan Riedlinger back in August.

Joining Pitts in taking the oath of office were Emily Lee as county clerk, Lauren Stroh as court clerk and Mike Sparks as the commissioner for District 2.

Stroh and Sparks, like Pitts, won elections to their offices.

Stroh won the Republican primary while Sparks won a primary and then general election for his seat.

Lee was unopposed when she filed for her seat.

All four offices have had longtime placeholders: Dennis Banther as sheriff, Lisa Markus as court clerk, Jeannie Boevers as county clerk and Ray Shimanek as commissioner.

Each of those four announced their impending retirements in 2024, setting up Thursday’s big change of scenery.

Among those on hand were not only employees of the specific offices and districts, but also friends and family members.

Stroh, from Okarche, had one of the largest contingents there.

“So far, so good,” said Stroh early Thursday afternoon about her new scenery.

Stroh had worked for more than eight years in the Canadian County court clerk’s offi ce before taking on her new role.

She has four full-time and one part-time employee in her office, all of whom were there on Markus’ last day in office last week.

Pitts met with the entire KCSO staff on Thursday morning and then continued individual meetings with them throughout the rest of the day and Friday.

He’s already made at least one very important hire - that of his undersheriff.

Ed Cangiano will take over that role.

“He and I have worked together and have a good working relationship,”

Pitts said. “We are on the same page on just about everything.”

Cangiano was the HPD chief from September 2020 until he resigned in February 2022.

Pitts was his assistant chief and then took over as chief upon Cangiano’s recommendation.

“He’s my choice and someone I trust,” Pitts said.

Cangiano was initially hired in Hennessey as the assistant chief and started that position in February 2019. He was named chief when Hank Weber retired NEW KINGFISHER COUNTY Undersheriff Ed Cangiano is pictured when he was the chief of police at Hennessey, a role he served from September 2020 through February 2022.

[Photo provided] the next year.

Cangiano’s first job in law enforcement was with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Department as a deputy from 1993-98.

He was then a patrol lieutenant at the Bethany Police Department for several years and was a senior master instructor at the TASER Training Academy in Scottsdale, Ariz. from 2009 through 2016.

Cangiano was also in the U.S. Air Force Security Forces from 1984-93 and served in the Air Force Reserve as a staff master sergeant from 1993-12 when he retired from service.

Pitts said he would round out his staffing once his interviews with the current staff were completed.