About the Office
The Sheriff has the following specific powers and duties:
- The Sheriff must arrest without process persons who commit an offense within his view, take them before a court of the county having jurisdiction, and detain them in custody until the cause of the arrest has been investigated
- The Sheriff must suppress breaches of the peace, calling the power of the county to his aid if necessary
- The Sheriff must pursue and jail all felons
- The Sheriff must execute all process directed to him by legal authority
- The Sheriff must serve all process directed to him from a court of the county executive
- The Sheriff must attend and preserve order in all courts of the county
- The Sheriff must take care of the county jail and the prisoners therein
- The Sheriff may take photographs, fingerprints, and other identification data of persons taken into custody for felonies or misdemeanors
The Sheriff has the power to appoint deputies in the manner specified by Indiana Code 36-8-10-4. The powers and duties of the deputies are specified in Indiana Code 36-8-10-9 and are virtually identical to the powers and duties of the Sheriff himself. The difference is that the Sheriff bears the ultimate responsibility for his own acts and the acts of his deputies.
Statutory powers and duties of all deputy sheriffs of the Sheriff’s Office include:
- General police powers
- Shall arrest, without process, all persons who commit an offense within their view, take them before the court having jurisdiction, and detain them in custody until the cause of the arrest has been investigated Shall suppress all breaches of the peace within his knowledge, with authority to call to his aid the power of the county
- Shall pursue and commit to jail all felons
- May execute all process directed to the Sheriff by legal authority
- Shall attend upon and preserve order in all courts of the county
- Shall guard prisoners in the county jail
- Shall serve all process directed to the Sheriff from a court or from the county executive according to law
- Shall take photographs, fingerprints, and other identification data as prescribed by the Sheriff of persons taken into custody for felonies and misdemeanors
Command authority in the day-to-day operations of the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office through each division is as follows:
- The Sheriff of Vanderburgh County
- Chief Deputy
- Executive Commander (Major)
- Section Commander (Lieutenant)
- Unit Supervisor (Sergeant)
When immediate decisions must be made on matters affecting the office as a whole, and a member of the Executive Staff is not available, the decision will be made by the highest-ranking senior deputy on duty or available at the time. When immediate decisions must be made on matters affecting the divisions, the executive commanders will make decisions concerning their respective divisions; however, in their absence, the highest-ranking senior deputy on duty or available within a particular division (Confinement, Administration, Operations) will make any necessary, immediate decisions.
Our Mission Statement
The mission of the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office is to serve the community in a manner that epitomizes those ideals woven into the fabric of the Constitutions of the United States of America and the State of Indiana. We will strive to enhance the quality of life in cooperation with all who share in making Vanderburgh County a better place to live. We are committed to excellence through:
- Integrity – We will be honest and sincere in our personal and professional lives. We serve with courage and pride in maintaining the public trust by upholding the highest moral and ethical standards.
- Compassion – We will be sensitive, yet firm while dedicating ourselves to preserving the dignity of each individual. Our cultural diversity allows us to be patient, caring, and kind in our treatment towards each other.
- Fairness – We will consistently treat all people fairly and impartially in upholding the laws of the State of Indiana and the Constitution of the United States.
- Service – We will dedicate ourselves to improve and ensure the quality of life for future generations through professional and quality service. We are committed to protecting life and property, preventing and solving crime, reducing fear, and providing a safe environment. We will strive to work in unity with our community to develop a partnership in solving problems and to be responsive to community needs and concerns.
Past Sheriffs of Vanderburgh County
Year |
Name |
---|---|
1818 | John B. Stinson |
August 24, 1818 | Hazael Putnam |
1822 | Alanson Warner |
1824 | James Newman |
February 1827 | Alanson Warner |
September 1827 | Daniel Miller |
1831 | Levi Price |
1834 | Edward Hopkins |
1835 | Daniel Miller |
1839 | Thomas F. Stockwell |
1843 | William W. Walker |
1847 | John Echols |
1849 | John S. Terry |
1853 | John S. Gavitt |
1857 | John B. Hall |
1859 | John S. Gavitt |
May 1862 | Joseph B. Cox |
1863 | George Wolflin |
August 1865 | Robert Early |
October 1865 | Alex Darling |
1867 | Jacob H. Miller |
1870 | Adolph Pfafflin |
1874 | Christ Wunderlich |
1878 | J.A. Lemcke |
1880 | Thomas Kerth |
1884 | Charles Schaum |
1888 | Frank Pritchett |
1892 | Andrew Richardt |
1894 | Charles G. Covert |
1899 | Martin Koepke |
1902 | Christian W. Kratz |
1907 | William E. Barnes |
1911 | John J. Davis |
1915 | William Habbe |
1919 | Herbert Males |
1923 | Fred Henke |
1924 | Shelby McDowell |
1929 | William Ruston |
1931 | William Habbe |
1933 | Clyde M. Hesmer |
1937 | Edwin Diekmann |
1941 | Val Dietsch |
1943 | Bert Martin |
1945 | Arval Barr |
1947 | Bert Martin |
1949 | Frank McDonald |
1959 | Greshim Grim |
1967 | Jerry E. Riney |
1975 | James A. Degroote |
1983 | Clarence Shepard |
1991 | Ray Hamner |
1999 | Brad Ellsworth |
2007 | Eric Williams |
May 2014-2022 | Dave Wedding |
2023-Current | Noah Robinson |
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