Border of Arizona and Mexico

Sheriff Leon Wilmot

Yuma County Sheriff's Office


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Sheriff Leon N. Wilmot began his career in law enforcement in 1985 as a reserve for the Yuma County Sheriff's Office, after completing four years of service in the United States Marine Corps. Hired by the Sheriff’s Office as a full time deputy in 1987, Wilmot’s first job as a public safety deputy was the start of a 27 year career of public service.

Expanding his resume two short years later, Wilmot was assigned to the Boating Safety Bureau for the next few years. In 1991 he was transferred to the Criminal Investigations Division where he was responsible for major crimes investigation. In 1993 he was promoted to Patrol Corporal in charge of the Foothills district and the Boating Safety and Enforcement Unit.

In early 1996 he was promoted to Public Safety Sergeant and was placed in charge of the Boating Safety and Enforcement Unit operations. In late 1996 he was promoted again, this time to Bureau Commander of the Criminal Investigations Unit where he supervised the Major Crimes Unit, Methamphetamine Enforcement Unit and deputies assigned to the Southwest Border Alliance Unit.

In 1998, he was promoted to County Public Safety Lieutenant and was assigned the supervision of all support units of the Sheriff’s Office--Evidence, Communications, Fleet Management, Criminal Investigations Bureau and Emergency Operations Center. His next promotion came in 2001 to Public Safety Captain to oversee the Patrol Bureau of the Sheriff's Office, charged with oversight of all patrol related activities. In 2004, he was promoted to Chief Deputy for the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office and served in that position until September 2012. He successfully campaigned for the office of Sheriff of Yuma County in 2012 and took the oath of office in January 2013.

Some of his professional accomplishments as Chief Deputy include the restructuring of the Southwest Border Alliance drug task force to the newly formed Yuma County Narcotics Task Force. Sheriff Wilmot was also instrumental in overseeing the restructuring of the Yuma County Sheriff’s Posse and is currently working on a Mutual Aid Law Enforcement Agreement between Imperial County California and Yuma County.

Sheriff Wilmot’s law enforcement education is expansive--graduating from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in 1994, the FBI National Academy in 2000 and the Drug Enforcement Administration Supervisor’s Course in 2005. In addition, he has also attained the Professional Development designation through the Federal Emergency Management Agency by taking leadership classes in Emergency Management. In 2007, he completed the Certified Public Manager program through the Arizona State University.

Sheriff Wilmot is a member of numerous professional organizations including the Arizona County Attorneys and Sheriffs Association, Arizona Sheriffs Association, Deputy Sheriffs Association, National Sheriffs’ Association, Policía Internacional Arizona-Sonora, Southwestern Border Sheriff’s Coalition and Western States Sheriffs Association. Sheriff Wilmot is currently serving as the President of the Arizona County Attorneys and Sheriffs Association, Vice President of the Arizona Sheriff's Association and Treasurer of the Southwest Border Sheriffs Coalition. In April 2013, Sheriff Wilmot was appointed to the National Sheriffs’ Association Immigration & Border Security Committee, succeeding Sheriff Larry Dever, who was killed in a single-vehicle accident on September 18, 2012.

In 2009, he was appointed by Governor Jan Brewer to the Arizona Department of Homeland Security Regional Advisory Council for the South Region. On July 1, 2012, Wilmot was reappointed by the Governor to this position. Sheriff Wilmot was also appointed by Governor Brewer to the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety “Oversight Council on Driving or Operating Under the Influence Abatement” committee.

In addition, Sheriff Wilmot is a member of numerous local organizations including the Amberly’s Place Executive Board, American Legion, Post 19, Arizona Town Hall, Caballeros de Yuma, Emergency Management Advisory Council, Local Area Planning Committee, Select Council on Progressive Enforcement, Yuma Area Ag Council, Yuma Masonic Lodge #17, Yuma MatchMasters, and the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club to name a few Leon Wilmot is married to Ruth Wilmot who has taught for 30 years with the Yuma School District #1. One of his hobbies is restoring old cars. His most recent project was the restoration of a 1929 Model "A", Model 290A standard police vehicle for which he won first place in the 2010 Police Vehicle Design Contest, "Best Vintage Police Cars" category.


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