Kevin J. Schneider
County Sheriff
Term expires: 2025
For over 40 years, Sheriff Kevin J. Schneider has dedicated his life to public safety. Sheriff Schneider is a consummate professional, working his way through all civil service ranks from Deputy to Chief, culminating in his appointment as Polk County Sheriff in 2018 and elected Sheriff in 2020. As Sheriff, Schneider leads by example in providing best practices in public safety, with an emphasis on progressive community policing and continual engagement with the community he serves.
A lifelong resident of Des Moines, Iowa, Sheriff Schneider knew he wanted to help people at a young age when he witnessed a police officer provide aid to someone in need. This event made a lasting impression that motivated him to join the local law enforcement Explorer’s unit – his first introduction to public safety. In addition to serving as a public safety leader, Sheriff Schneider also gives countless hours of his time helping children in the community and he has been a member of the Za-Ga-Zig Shrine for over 40 years. In addition, he is an executive board member for the Mid-Iowa Boy Scouts of America.
In his role as Sheriff, Schneider leads the largest sheriff’s office in the state of Iowa with over 500 employees, administers an $80 million budget, and provides 911 communication services for 30 police and fire agencies, as well as management of the Polk County Jail, the largest detention facility in the state.
As Sheriff, Schneider has focused on accountability and transparency for the office he leads and the people he serves. Furthermore, Sheriff Schneider has positioned the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for success now and into the future by expanding the diversity of the workforce, increasing efforts in school safety, and improving training and preparedness to reflect today’s public safety priorities.
Sheriff Schneider is a graduate of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy and received his Associate of Arts Degree from Des Moines Area Community College. A proponent of continuing education, Sheriff Schneider received a Certified Public Manager (CPM) designation from the State of Iowa and Drake University and is a graduate of the National Sheriff’s Institute (NSI) and the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.
In order to keep pace with the ever-changing dynamics of public safety, Sheriff Schneider devotes a great deal of time to multiple organizations, including the Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association (ISSDA), Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA), Iowa Police Chiefs Association (IPCA), Des Moines Area Community College Criminal Justice Advisory Council, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the Polk County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, and is currently on the Board of Directors for the National Sheriffs’ Association. Most recently, Sheriff Schneider was appointed to the ILEA Board of Directors.