Sheriff

The office of the Sheriff is responsible for tax collection, election duties, services to courts, and law enforcement in Fayette County. This is a partisan race, so you will see political parties on your ballot.

 

Kathy H. Witt (D)

Kathy H. Witt is the current Sheriff for Fayette County. She was first elected in 1999 as has been Lexington’s Sheriff for 27 years.

Information:

Campaign Finances:

Vote Local Questionnaire responses:

Candidate responses have not been edited.

  • I have faithfully served the Lexington criminal justice system since 1983, joining the Office of the Fayette County Sheriff in 1985 and winning election as Lexington’s first female Sheriff in 1998. Today, I am honored to be one of only 3% of female sheriffs to hold this office in our nation. A Commonwealth of Kentucky Certified Peace Officer, I have been instrumental in creating, managing and enforcing numerous offender accountability, community resource and educational programs that have made a lasting impact on the Lexington community.

  • Since becoming Sheriff, the Office of the Fayette County Sheriff has been recognized nationally and internationally, receiving the National Sheriffs’ Association Crime Victims Services award and the International Association of Chiefs of Police Excellence in Victim Services award.

    Under my leadership, the Office of Sheriff continues to meet the needs of our community by serving victims of domestic violence, extraditing fugitives, holding offenders accountable, serving our seniors, providing funeral escorts, and timely and accurate collection of property taxes

  • Recruitment and retention, officer wellness ,and improvements in technology

  • I will continue to improve upon our efforts in recruitment and retention that recently been effective in hiring quality applicants. We will continue to listen to the needs of members of our team regarding officer wellness. Lastly, we will continue to seek grant funds to improve our technology and make our team safer.

  • The Office of Sheriff is always open. We are located at 150 N Limestone St. #265 and can be reached at 859 252-1771, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.