Hundreds of well wishers passed through the lobby of the Dallas County Law Enforcement Center Wednesday afternoon in order to thank Sheriff Chad Leonard for his 15 years of service in leading the county’s public safety agency.
Leonard joined the Dallas County Sheriff’s office as a deputy sheriff in 1997. He later served as the Dallas Center Chief of Police from 2001 to 2007, when he was elected county sheriff.
Leonard came to office at a turbulent time for the county. The previous Dallas County Sheriff, Brian Gilbert, was arrested in 2006 and later convicted of stealing about $120,000 in cash from a suspect’s vehicle. Gilbert got five years’ probation for the first-degree theft and was ordered to pay restitution. He later relocated to Arizona.
No such troubles have clouded Leonard’s tenure as sheriff, and he was reelected in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020. His likely successor, Dallas County Chief Deputy Adam Infante, will be appointed in the coming weeks by the Dallas County Board of Supervisors.
The last time a sheriff was appointed in Dallas County was October 2006, when Kevin Frederick, who served as Gilbert’s chief deputy, was elevated to the top job by the supervisors. Frederick and Gilbert were later sued by Scott Faiferlick, the deputy sheriff who first detected and reported Gilbert’s theft and who claimed the sheriff and chief deputy retaliated against him on the job as a result. The county later settled with Faiferlick for $7,500.
Among the many hundreds who kept Wednesday’s reception line stretching far out the front doors of the Dallas County Law Enforcement Center were Nick and Erin Merwald of Waukee, whose 6-month-old daughter, Ella, was dandled by Leonard like a natural-born politician — or grandfather.
Dallas County Recorder Chad Airhart was also among the many well wishers. Airhart is likewise retiring at the end of his third term in a few months. The two Chads did much to bring their county departments into the 21st century during their tenures.
