As the elected Sheriff, Sue Rahr is the top police officer of Washington State’s largest county. After 30 years of rising through the ranks – from patrol officer to head of the Gang Unit, then Chief of Field Operations, to being elected the first female sheriff in King County’s 155 year history, she has accomplished much in her first four year full term as an elected official.

Sheriff Sue oversees a department of over 1,000 employees and a $140 million budget in a county that spans over 2,100 square miles. She oversees contract partnerships, providing police services to 12 cities, Metro Transit, Sound Transit, the Muckleshoot Tribe, the United States Forest Service, and the King County International Airport.

Appointed to finish the unexpired second term as Sheriff for now-Congressman Dave Reichert, Sue Rahr faced the voters in her first election in 2005 and won with a 77% majority. Her record – and reputation – as a law enforcement leader of the 21st century is one of the best in the country.

Sheriff Sue Rahr was born in Laramie, WY, the only girl among seven children. The family moved to Bellevue, WA, when Sue was a child, and she graduated from Newport High School in 1975. She put herself through Washington State University where she graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Criminal Justice.

She entered police work with the intent of earning money for law school, but once she got a taste of police work, she never left. She’s been married to Bill Rahr, a local high school teacher, for 30 years. They have two adult sons, Billy and Peter.

  • Sheriff Sue brought together the first-ever cross-discipline, statewide summit to address mentally ill and drug-addicted offenders. The 200 participants included police, prosecutors, judges, drug counselors, mental health professionals, social workers, corrections personnel, and families of mentally ill offenders. This groundbreaking effort has led to meaningful changes in state law and improved cooperative protocols. The work started at this summit continues to lead to more effective and humane management of people suffering from mental illness.
  • As gang violence increases throughout the Pacific Northwest, Sheriff Sue is leading the efforts to reverse the spread of senseless violence perpetrated within our young adult and teen community. She has successfully brought several hundred thousand dollars in federal grant money into King County for gang prevention and intervention programs.
  • Her strategy in the Sheriff's Office of focusing resources on high volume, known offenders has contributed to a 30% reduction in auto theft crimes in King County.
  • Her emphasis on neighborhood traffic enforcement has resulted in a 5% reduction in accidents, made possible through an increase in street racing, school zone and neighborhood enforcement practices.
  • Sheriff Sue Rahr has been on the frontline of fighting meth labs and drug traffickers attempting to take root in King County. Attorney General Rob McKenna acknowledged King County’s efforts to eliminate meth labs as among the best in the nation.
  • With the support of our Congressional Delegation, Sheriff Sue was one of the first area law enforcement officials to prioritize – and now expand - the School Resource Officer program in our public schools. Her experience as the Gang Unit commander in the early 90’s influenced her philosophy about the importance of creating meaningful rapport between students and police through role modeling and mentorship.
  • E-policing techniques and strategies are among the best emerging tools for engaging citizens as partners with police in decreasing neighborhood crime and catching offenders. Sheriff Sue is working with a web-mobilization team to help bring E-policing to King County so police officers can enlist the eyes and ears of community members through real time, electronic communication.
  • Building on her “hire to retire” strategy, Sheriff Rahr has implemented a comprehensive approach to recruiting, screening, training, and developing every employee to their fullest potential. The King County Sheriff’s Office is building their reputation as a highly skilled, knowledge-driven law enforcement agency for the citizens of King County.
  • Sheriff Sue successfully fought draconian budget cuts proposed by the executive branch which would have seriously impacted efforts to keep King County residents safe.
  • Sheriff Sue was unanimously elected to a leadership post among her peers and now sits on the Executive Board of the National Sheriffs’ Association. She and her fellow Sheriffs have successfully influenced the Obama Administration to ensure the federal stimulus package includes needed public safety support.