Boone County Judge-Executive Gary W. Moore has appointed Colonel Les Hill as the next Boone County Sheriff.
Hill will replace longtime Sheriff Mike Helmig, who has served as Sheriff since May 1997. Sheriff Helmig announced his intentions to retire in December 2024, with his last date of service to be April 15. Hill will be sworn in on April 15 as sheriff, effective at midnight on April 16.
“I am so pleased to share that Col. Les Hill is my appointment for Boone County Sheriff,” said Moore. “One of the most desirable qualities of a community is a safe place to live and raise a family. Les is a well-known and well-respected leader who will uphold that promise to our residents and those that come into our County every day. That dedication, paired with his commitment to innovate, grow and evolve services and programs to meet the needs of our community, ensures a bright and exciting future for the Sheriff’s Office and our entire county.”
“It is the honor of a lifetime to be appointed Boone County Sheriff by Judge/Executive Moore,” says Hill. “My pledge is that I, along with my entire staff, will continue to deliver superior services. I look forward to building on the strong partnership between the Sheriff’s Office, the Judge/Executive’s Office and the Fiscal Court to innovate and implement the services and programs that will ensure our residents, especially our children, remain safe and supported.”
Hill has served at the Sheriff’s Office since 1989, first as a patrol deputy and eventually rising to the position of Chief Deputy in May 1997. He also served as interim sheriff from December 2014 to January 2015.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office was established in 1798, when Boone County was first recognized as a county. The Boone County Sheriff’s Office is the largest full-service Sheriff’s Office in the Commonwealth with nearly 190 sworn deputies.
“It has been a privilege serving alongside Mike,” said Moore. “Together we laid the foundation to build the county and Sheriff’s Office into what it is today.”
“Sheriff Helmig has been instrumental developing the Office’s reputation in the county and state,” said Hill. “I am committed to advancing that reputation as we look for new opportunities to modernize the department and carry forward proven programs such as School Resource Officers and Police Social Workers.
Hill will serve as Boone County Sheriff until the next county-wide election in 2026. Kentucky law (KRS 63.220) dictates that the Judge/Executive has the responsibility to fill vacancies of county elected officials, including sheriff, coroner, surveyor, county attorney, county clerk, jailer and constable.
Boone County Fiscal Court