About the Sheriff’s Office

The Erie County Sheriff’s Office performs a number of functions, including providing security for the Erie County Courthouse and escorting inmates to and from court hearings. The department also provides school resource officers at several Erie County schools and sponsors a volunteer Scuba Team and volunteer Mounted Posse.

The department handles firearms licenses, oversees sheriff’s property sales, and helps search for Erie County’s Most Wanted criminals.

The Erie County Sheriff’s Office is overseen by an elected sheriff, who serves a four-year term. A history of sheriffs in Erie County:

  • 2014 – John T. Loomis
  • 1998 – Robert G. Merski
  • 1982 – Robert N. Michael
  • 1963 – Andrew J. Hanisek
  • 1954 – John L. Coates
  • 1945 – Paul E. Babbitt
  • 1941 – Fred Lamberton
  • 1934 – Dell Darling
  • 1930 – Millard L. Davis
  • 1922 – T. G. Sterrett
  • 1918 – Guy H. Fox
  • 1914 – Maxwell B. Haibach
  • 1910 – Harry W. Barrett
  • 1906 – Henry Cogswell
  • 1901 – S. S. Burton
  • 1899 – George W. Barrett
  • 1895 – George W. Kraus
  • 1894 – George W. Evans
  • 1891 – Edward C. Siegel
  • 1888 – William O. Mehl
  • 1885 – M. V. B. Gifford
  • 1883 – F. E. Staples
  • 1880 – Henry C. Stafford
  • 1877 – Edward E. Sturznickel
  • 1873 – John L. Hyner
  • 1870 – Thomas M. Walker
  • 1867 – Andrew F. Swan
  • 1864 – Hiram L. Brown
  • 1861 – Allen A. Craig/John W. Swalley (appointed to fill vacancy)
  • 1858 – John W. McLane
  • 1855 – John Kilpatrick
  • 1852 – Thomas E. Vincent
  • 1849 – Peter E. Burton
  • 1846 – Miles W. Caughey
  • 1843 – William E. McNair
  • 1840 – Ephraim W. M. Blaine
  • 1837 – Andrew Scott
  • 1834 – Thomas Mehaffey
  • 1831 – William Flemming
  • 1828 – Alexander W. Brewster
  • 1825 – Albert Thayer
  • 1822 – Stephen Wolverton
  • 1819 – Thomas Laird
  • 1816 – Stephen Wolverton
  • 1813 – David Wallace
  • 1810 – James Weston (appointed by the governor)
  • 1810 – J. C. Wallace (succeeded Jacob Spang)
  • 1808 – Jacob Spang (resigned June 19, 1810)
  • 1805 – Jacob Carmack
  • 1803 – Wilson Smith