Following the completion of a successful career with the Akron Police Department, Sheriff Drew Alexander successfully ran for Sheriff of Summit County in 2000.

 After serving three years in the United States Army, Sheriff Alexander began his career in law enforcement with the Akron Police Department in 1972.  Throughout his law enforcement career, he served in all divisions of the department.  He was commander of the Major Crimes Unit and, at retirement, held the position as commander of the Police Community Relations Unit with the primary responsibility for overseeing background investigations of prospective police recruits. 

Sheriff Alexander is a 2001 graduate of the National Sheriffs Institute, 81^st Session.  He serves with various federal and state law enforcement executives on committees and commissions concerned with crime prevention and homeland security. 

Sheriff Alexander’s positive approach to law enforcement, which stresses service to the community, has led to the creation of innovative programs directed at improving public safety by involving the community in Crime Prevention programs.  Deputies now team with probation and parole officers to actively pursue sex offender violators insuring compliance with “Megan’s Law.”  The community may now access the Sheriff’s website to determine if a registered sex offender is living in their neighborhood. 

Sheriff Alexander has implemented a creative Juvenile Diversion Program, in cooperation with Summit County Juvenile Court, that is designed to hold juvenile offenders involved in minor crimes, accountable for their actions.  In order to avoid a criminal record, juvenile offenders must successfully complete the program which includes supervised community service and apologies to victims. 

Sheriff Alexander also led the effort to create legislation that forces homeowners and landlords to notify potential buyers and renters that the residence was once used as a methamphetamine lab. 

In addition to managing an agency with over 500 sworn and civilian employees, Sheriff Alexander has partnered with various federal, state and local organizations whose goal is to improve the safety and quality of life in Summit County.  Some of these programs include: 

·        Summit County Senior Services Unit 

A unit of deputies specifically trained to deal with issues relating to our elderly population in order to prevent them from becoming victims of abuse and/or fraud.  Visits to seniors living alone by deputies and weekly calls to the home for safety checks are part of the program.

·        Know Your Neighbor 

This program, developed by Sheriff Alexander, emphasizes the strict registration of convicted sex offenders and places their address on the Sheriff’s website in order to notify citizens of any sex offender living in their neighborhood. 

·        eSORN (Electronic Sex Offender Registration & Notification 

Created by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to effectively track sex offenders throughout Ohio.  This database is linked to all 88 of Ohio’s sheriffs offices and all 32 correctional facility records offices operated by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.  The purpose of eSORN is to provide one location for all of Ohio’s law enforcement officials to freely share information on registered sex offenders.  By using county records, a notification mailing is sent to homes surrounding the address of a registered sex offender.

·        G.A.S.P. (Grandparents Against Sexual Predators 

A volunteer group of senior citizens with the goal of assisting sheriffs and police departments in searching for and locating missing and/or abducted children, including Amber Alert situations.

·        Children Who Witness Violence 

As a member of the Executive Board, Sheriff Alexander has implemented the use of this program throughout the Sheriff’s office.  The program is meant to assist children who have witnessed violent activity in their home or in other crime scene locations.

·        Caring Communities of Summit County 

Community members working together in pursuit of a common vision of healthy families have invited the Sheriff’s office to be a part of their endeavor.

·        Safe Schools Initiative 

A program used by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office to train educators in recognizing, preventing and dealing with Columbine type emergencies in school facilities.

·        Gang Resistance Education – G.R.E.A.T. 

A program that sends deputies into the schools in order to educate young men and women concerning the dangers of gang activity and officers alternatives to this destructive lifestyle.

Professional Affiliations

                                       Law Enforcement Awards

2004 Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award for Distinguished Service in the Area of Law Enforcement

2004 National Veterans of Foreign Wars Law Enforcement Officer of the Year

2005 Distinguished Law Enforcement Service Award Presented by the State Attorney General’s Office

2005 J. Edgar Hoover Gold Medal Law Enforcement Officer of the Year

(c) Copyright County of Summit 2005. All rights reserved.. All rights reserved.