The Plan

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Thank you for taking the time to visit my site and read about my plans for Wayne County. It means a great deal to me, not just as a law enforcement officer, but as a son of this county. I was born and raised in Centerville. I’m a graduate of Centerville High School. I’ve searched these fields, walked these streets, raised my family here, and dedicated my life to serving and protecting the people of Wayne County.  From day one, I’ve answered the call to serve, not for recognition, but because I believe in this community. And now, I’m here to answer that call once again. 

I began my law enforcement career at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, not with a badge or title, but as a civilian correctional officer. I didn’t start at the top. I earned every step forward, by working the toughest shifts, learning from seasoned deputies, and doing the job the right way. Over the next two decades, I rose through the ranks, correctional supervisor, road deputy, patrol sergeant, and eventually supervisor of the Criminal Investigative Unit and case manager. I’ve seen the worst of humanity, and I’ve helped bring justice for families forever changed by violence. I’ve solved murders, led teams into danger, and stood in courtrooms with the victims’ voices on my shoulders. 

After twenty years of boots-on-the-ground service, I was honored to be appointed Chief of Police for the City of Richmond. That role came with great responsibility, and I took it seriously. We overhauled outdated policies, implemented officer wellness programs, modernized our training with national best practices like ICAT, and reestablished trust between our department and the community. To strengthen my leadership even further, I completed the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety’s School of Police Staff and Command, a nationally respected program that develops law enforcement’s most effective and forward-thinking leaders. I didn’t pursue that opportunity to pad a résumé. I did it to bring those lessons home, to build a better department, and to become the kind of leader our county needs.

But even with all that experience, even after leading a major police department, I knew in my heart that something was unfinished. Because when I left the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, I didn’t walk away from a job. I walked away from a mission. I left a team. I left a calling that started in a jail block and grew through every rank, forged through trust, accountability, and the blood, sweat, and sacrifice of real law enforcement service. And now, I believe it’s time to come back. Because the job’s not finished.

Wayne County stands at a critical moment. Crime is evolving. Drugs are devastating families. And too often, departments are left under-supported, under-led, and divided by politics instead of united by purpose. This election isn’t about a catchy slogan. It’s about choosing real experience over empty words. It’s about putting proven leadership at the helm of the Sheriff’s Office. We don’t need claims of “more integrity," we need integrity that’s already been demonstrated. We don’t need promises of experience, we need experience that’s earned, tested, and real. 

As your next Sheriff, I will bring leadership that is professional, proactive, and accountable:

• I will restore structure, morale, and high standards within the ranks.
• I will aggressively combat drug trafficking and violent crime.
• I will prioritize deputy wellness, training, and retention.
• I will strengthen relationships with every city, town, and law enforcement agency in this county because public safety requires unity, not isolation. 
• This will not be a Sheriff’s Office that reacts. It will be a Sheriff’s Office that leads. 

I started at the Sheriff’s Office more than twenty years ago. I’ve worn the uniform, walked the toughest posts, and led teams in the darkest hours. And I’m proud of every lesson, every mistake, and every success that brought me to this moment. But I didn’t come this far to stop short. I came to finish the job. 

With you, I am officially announcing my candidacy to be your next Sheriff of Wayne County. Let’s raise the standard. Let’s protect what matters. Let’s lead with strength, integrity, and experience. And together, as One County, One Team, let’s finish the job. 

Thank you, and may God bless Wayne County!

- Kyle Weatherly

Republican Candidate for Wayne County Sheriff