County of Summit Sheriff's Office

Kandy Fatheree assumed the office of Sheriff in January 2021 and is now serving her second term. As the Sheriff of Ohio’s fourth largest county, she has more than 500 deputies, special deputies, and civilian staff under her command.

Fatheree grew up in Springfield Township, Ohio and recalls wanting to work in law enforcement since the age of six. As a struggling single mother in her 30s, she sold nearly everything she owned to pay her way through the Police Academy. She started her career with the Lakemore Police Department in 1993, then joined the Summit County Sheriff's Office two years later.

Over the course of her three decades with the Sheriff's Office, she worked in nearly every unit and division and learned the office inside and out. She rose through the ranks to reach the level of captain, where she was tasked with overseeing the office's $45 million budget.

In 2008, Fatheree attended the FBI National Academy for Executive Leadership, and it was then that she realized her dream of becoming Sheriff. She was proudly elected by the residents of Summit County in 2020, becoming the first woman to hold the office of sheriff in county history, and only the fourth in Ohio’s history.

Among her top priorities, Fatheree is focused on boosting the professionalism and efficiency of the office, increasing diversity, outreach, and communication, reducing recidivism, and confronting the mental health and addiction crises in our community.

Sheriff Fatheree serves on the Board of Directors of the National Sheriff’s Association, and she and her administration have been nationally recognized for their innovative and groundbreaking approaches.