Kyle Weatherly observes a rocky relationship among Wayne County law enforcement agencies, something he wants to change as the county’s elected sheriff.
“I want to bring unity to all law enforcement agencies and really start doing what I think is the best for the community,” said Weatherly, who currently leads one of those agencies, the Richmond Police Department.
Announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination for sheriff next year, Weatherly has adopted the phrase “one county-one team” for his campaign, which he kicked off with a June 12 event at Smiley’s Pub & Beer Garden. He said it’s the only path forward for the county.
“That is the primary focus, is all agencies working together for the betterment of the community,” Weatherly told WWN.
Major Alan Moore, the sheriff department’s chief deputy, also has announced his Republican candidacy. Moore was a volunteer deputy working in the county’s information technology department when Sheriff Randy Retter appointed him chief deputy in August 2022.
After Army service, which Weatherly said established the foundation that carried throughout his law enforcement career, Weatherly joined the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office in 2001. He worked in the jail and patrol, with leadership positions in both, before becoming the sergeant overseeing investigations. Then, Weatherly was appointed Richmond Police Department’s chief by Mayor Ron Oler, beginning the position Jan. 1, 2024.
He did not plan to enter the sheriff’s race just 17 months into his RPD leadership, but said his decision is based on what he thinks is best for the residents.
“I am thankful for the opportunity the mayor has provided me, and I think that what would be best for the community itself is by my throwing my hat into that ring,” Weatherly said.
With RPD, Weatherly has stressed engagement and communication with the community. He said the changes have gone well, and that’s the philosophy he’d carry to the sheriff’s department, with similar but not identical implementation.
“I think that if this were to come about, I think we can continue to not just help RPD and all the other smaller agencies, but the community in whole,” Weatherly said. “That’s the driving factor on this, is the service that we provide to the citizens of Wayne County.”
Weatherly said the keyword is “people,” whether the officers he leads or the residents his department serves.
“That’s what our profession is,” Weatherly said. “It’s all about the service that we provide.”
During his kickoff event, Weatherly stressed his experience, saying law enforcement is his calling and noting he’s spent more than 66,000 hours serving the county.
A version of this article will appear in the June 18 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.