About Us

RESPECT – HONESTY – FAIRNESS – ACCOUNTABILITY
COMPASSION – INTEGRITY – LEADERSHIP – DIVERSITY

Sheriff Joseph Crawford serves as the elected Sheriff of Kanawha County and leads the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office with a strong commitment to professionalism, public service, and community engagement. As the county’s chief law enforcement official, Sheriff Crawford oversees all operations within the agency, including the management and coordination of its specialized divisions.

One of the most vital divisions within the agency is the Law Enforcement Division (LED)—responsible for frontline policing across the unincorporated areas of Kanawha County. The LED is led by Chief Deputy Sean Snuffer, who oversees the daily operations and supervises the dedicated Deputy Sheriffs serving in this division.

What We Do

Under Sheriff Crawford’s direction, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office performs a wide range of public safety and law enforcement functions. The Deputy Sheriffs within the Law Enforcement Division are responsible for:

  • Patrolling neighborhoods and highways to ensure public safety

  • Responding to 911 calls and providing immediate assistance

  • Investigating crimes and traffic crashes

  • Serving criminal warrants and ensuring legal compliance

  • Providing court security and bailiff services for the Kanawha County courts

  • Serving domestic violence protective orders

  • Collaborating with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to enhance community safety

In addition to law enforcement, Sheriff Crawford is also responsible for:

  • Overseeing the Legal Process Division, which handles civil papers, subpoenas, and court-related services

  • Managing the Tax Division, which collects property taxes and other county revenues

  • Supervising the Home Confinement Unit, which monitors court-ordered home incarceration cases

  • Ensuring that all divisions operate with integrity, transparency, and efficiency

Our Mission Statement

The mission of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office is to enhance the quality of life in Kanawha County by working in partnership with the community to enforce the law, preserve the peace, protect the people, reduce the fear, and maintain order.

The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office strives to foster a safe and fair community by enforcing the law with diligence, professionalism, and integrity while solving the problems that create crime and disorder through an independent relationship between the people and the deputies.

In partnership with the community, we pledge to:

  • Protect the lives and property of our fellow citizens and impartially enforce state and federal laws while upholding the principles embodied in the Constitution of the State of West Virginia and the Constitution of the United States of America.
  • Solve and prevent crime by aggressively pursuing violators of the law.
  • Maintain a higher standard of integrity than is generally expected of others
  • Value human life, respect the dignity of each individual, and render our services with honesty, courtesy, respect, and civility.

Our Commitment to the Community

The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, under Sheriff Joseph Crawford’s leadership, is dedicated to serving with honor, compassion, and accountability. We are proud to work alongside our residents to build a safer, stronger Kanawha County.

As you explore this website, we invite you to learn more about the specialized units and services we provide. Discover how our team is working every day to protect you, your family, and the communities we serve.