The people VOTEd NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024!
Thank you so much for your vote, trust and confidence!
Proven Leader - Effective - Practical - Involved - Committed - Compassionate - Discerning - Experienced
About Me
I was born in Moscow and have lived in Latah County
most of my life. In 1985, I married Teri, my high school sweetheart.
I joined the United States Marine Corps in 1989 and
proudly served in the Security Forces.
In 1996 I started work at the Latah County Sheriff's Office
and our son, Sam, was born.
I served as the Police Chief for the City of Troy for over 3 years prior to being elected in 2016 to the position of Sheriff for Latah County where I continue to serve.
In 2017, our son married, and his beautiful wife, Jory, was added to our family. Sam also serves in law enforcement and Jory is a BSN RN.
Achievements
- Idaho Executive Certificate - Dec. 2023
- Management Certificate - June 2023
- Mills Adler Award for Outstanding County Elected Official - Sept. 2022
- University of Idaho Hometown Hero Award for outstanding leadership, courage & sacrifice for our local community & country - Sept. 2019
- Presented with the Quilt of Valor - Sept. 2019
- Spirit of Idaho Award presented by Senator Mike Crapo - Sept. 2019
- https://klewtv.com/news/local/latah-county-sheriff-skiles-wins-spirit-of-idaho-award
- Idaho Sheriff's Association Board Member as Secretary, 1st & 2nd Vice President, President, Past President - Dec. 2017 - Dec. 2023
- Faith Church Elder, Board Member/Treasurer
)-3.png/:/cr=t:0%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:100%25/rs=w:1080,h:1080,cg:true)
Why choose me to continue being your Sheriff
I served in the Marine Corps in Security Forces in a leadership position and have worked in law enforcement more than half my adult life with most of that time being at the Latah County Sheriff’s Office. I started working at the Latah County Sheriff’s Office in 1996 as a Reserve Deputy and within 6 months was given a position with LCSO as a community policing officer and I also served as school resource officer. While working in these positions, I gained great insight in how to have a positive and effective impact within the communities. I have worked under 4 different Sheriffs and have experienced first hand the positive and negative effects a Sheriff can have not only within the department but also within our communities. I also worked as the City of Troy Chief of Police, a fill in reserve deputy for the city of St. Maries and manager of a local fast food restaurant for several years.
Since becoming Sheriff in 2016, I have worked hard to not only improve the working environment and relationships for the entire Sheriff’s Office, but also to improve the safety and service that is provided to all of Latah County. I have great respect for and commitment to my position. I feel that the range of my experiences helps me make wiser yet compassionate decisions and have a greater understanding of how to be effective with all the responsibilities I have been given. For me, being the Latah County Sheriff is a privilege and honor and not just another position in law enforcement to fill. I love what I do because I love serving the people of Latah County and the Sheriff’s Office
CAMPAIGN GOALS
When I was elected as your Latah County Sheriff in 2016, I promised to always do the "Right Things for the Right Reasons" and I continue to stand on that promise today.
My major goals were to:
Be actively involved in our communities
- You will see me at every community's yearly celebrations leading the parade and visiting with patrons, actively working in uniform yearly at the Latah County Fair with the Sheriff’s Office, U of I Veterans Day Dinner annual event, Shop with A Cop annual event, Potlatch’s National Night Out, Lee Newbill Safety Fair, Search and Rescue meetings and annual dinner, community city council meetings, Coffee with A Cop, community senior dinners, Scam Jam awareness meetings, local school functions, etc.
Identify and better utilize the strengths within the Sheriffs Office to provide & promote training at every level
We’ve created in-house instructors which reduces training costs in the following categories:
- Firearms, Use of Force, Taser, Less than Lethal, ARCON (defensive tactics), First Aid (CPR, AED), Domestic Violence, EVOC (Driving training), Radar
- Suicide Prevention, Active Shooter Response, Constitutional Training, Tactical Team Operations, Leadership classes, West Point Leadership Model
- On-Target Solutions for our 10 certified Forensic Crime Scene Technicians within office
- Combined SWAT teams with the City of Moscow Police Department
- Established and filled the position for our own trained Internet Crime Against Children Officer
- Established a designated School Resource Officer from within the office
- Re-established a strong & positive working relationship with the Quad Cities Drug Task Force
- Search and Rescue cadaver dogs
- Upgraded state of the art mobile computers and cameras in patrol vehicles, as well as body cams for officers, transparency, evidence retention
Advocate for Fiscal Responsibility
- Along with my Chief Deputy Tim Besst, I actively participate in the Sheriff’s Office annual budget and I work with the Latah County Commissioners to prudently advocate for our deputies pay, benefits, proper equipment, safe vehicles, & continual training within the parameters set forth.
To be an accountable, available, and working Sheriff who leads by example
- I actively make traffic stops throughout the county.
- I attend as many POST graduations of deputies as possible.
- I actively attend and am involved in all major crimes, searches, rescues.
- Back up deputies when available to do so.
