History of the Sheriff

Sheriff Darren Eichinger
2017 - Present

Since Labette County was established in 1867, the Sheriff's Office has been led by 34 sheriffs dedicated to serving and protecting the citizens of southeast Kansas. The county's first sheriff, Benjamin A. Rice, served from 1867 to 1868 during the county's frontier days. Over the decades, the office evolved from a small frontier law enforcement agency into a modern department responsible for patrol operations, criminal investigations, courthouse security, and management of the county jail. Several sheriffs served multiple terms, including Leo Frederick and W.H. Dienst, reflecting the trust placed in them by the community. Long-serving sheriffs such as M.T. "Tom" Bringle (1978-1994), William C. Blundell (1994-2011), and current Sheriff Darren Eichinger (2017-present) helped guide the office through periods of growth and modernization. Today, the Labette County Sheriff's Office continues a proud tradition of public service that spans more than 150 years.  

Robert D. Sims 2011 - 2017	William C. Blundell 1994 - 2011	M.T. (Tom) Bringle 1978 - 1994	Carl Cloke 1970 - 1978
Leo Frederick 1966 - 1970	Jack Sears 1964 - 1966	Leo Frederick 1960 - 1964	J.R. Vail 1958 - 1960
J.E. Morrow 1954 - 1958	John E. Burris 1950 - 1954	Jacob W. Boelens 1948 - 1950 Killed in the line of Duty	W.H. Dienst 1946 - 1948
Fred Crispell 1942 - 1946	W.H. Dienst 1938 - 1942	T.L. Logan 1934 - 1938	W.C. (Bill) Miller 1930 - 1934
Alfred Coad 1926 - 1930	A.C. Mann 1922 - 1926	John W. Bray 1918 - 1922	James L. Elam 1914 - 1918
L.H. Jackson 1910 - 1914	J.A. Holmes 1906 - 1910	Frank Dienst 1901 - 1906	A.F. Edwards 1897 - 1901
John W. Bennett 1894 - 1897	William Cook 1890 - 1893	Jonas T. Lampson 1888 - 1889	C.B. Woodford 1886 - 1887
Jones T. Lampson 1884 - 1885	Daniel M. Bender 1879 - 1883	J.H. Macon 1878 - 1879	Solon B. Abbot 1876 - 1877
G.W. Franklin 1872 - 1975	Joseph C. Wilson 1870 - 1871	John T. Weaver 1869 - 1870	Frank D. Howe 1869 - 1869
John N. Watson 1868 - 1869	Benjamin A. Rice 1867 - 1868

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Research was conducted and many of the photos were provided by the Oswego Historical Society. The Sheriff's Office is appreciative of their efforts for helping us develop this page, and maintain the history of the Sheriff for future generations.  

Visit the Oswego Historical Society

If you have past photos of any of the missing Labette County Sheriffs, please contact the Sheriff's Office.