First Female Sheriff Officially Takes Office In Summit County

For all of the 180-year history of Summit County, a man has held the office of sheriff. That changed this week when Kandy Fatheree on Monday stepped into the role voters elected her to in November. Fatheree officially took the oath of office Tuesday.

"I’ve wanted to work in law enforcement since I was 9 years old,” Fatheree said in a statement released by the sheriff's department.

Summit County Common Pleas Court Probate Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer administered the oath to Fatheree, as she laid a hand on the family Bible, held by her granddaughter.

Fatheree began her law enforcement career with the Lakemore Police Department in the early 1990s, where she worked for two years before joining Summit County as a deputy sheriff in 1995. She advanced to the rank of captain in charge of the civil division prior to her election.

She replaces Steve Barry, who retired after serving two terms. Like Fatheree, Barry is a Democrat but he had endorsed Republican Shane Barker, a captain in charge of the correction division at the sheriff's department, to replace him.

Fatheree is a graduate of the FBI's National Academy for Executive Leadership. That experience played a pivotal role in her pursuit of the sheriff's position, she said.

"I realized that I was every bit as smart and strong as the men that held positions of leadership,” she said in her Tuesday statement.

As sheriff, Fatheree oversees more than 330 deputies and 100 civilian employees. She has a number of goals, incluing addressing the opioid epidemic, improving community engagement, implementing administrative reforms at the county jail and encouraging diversity in recruiting and hiring.

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