My name is Jeff Hancock, and I am honored to announce my candidacy for Sheriff of Russell County.

I was born and raised in Adair County on a dairy and tobacco farm by two wonderful parents who instilled in me the values of honesty, hard work, and service that I carry with me today. At 17, I moved to Columbus, Indiana to work, and at 18, I proudly joined the United States Army. I served as a Military Police Officer, attaining the rank of Specialist Fourth Class, and patrolled the streets in Germany. After completing my military service, I returned home to Kentucky and joined the Kentucky State Police at age 24.

In 2001, I met and later married Patricia Denney (Wright). We live on Cherokee Avenue in the Barron Hills Subdivision. I have lived there for 24 years. Trisha is a lifelong resident of Russell County. Over the course of my career, I served in numerous leadership and investigative roles, including:

• Road Trooper in Adair, Russell, Marion, Washington, and Casey Counties

• Detective & Child Sexual Abuse Investigator, covering 11 counties including Russell

• Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain, leading posts in Bowling Green, Ashland, and Columbia

• Commander of the KSP Internal Affairs Division, overseeing investigations of sworn and civilian personnel

• Post Commander, managing high-profile cases such as the Welnitz murder investigation featured on Investigation Discovery and The Oxygen Channel

• Major over the West Troop, supervising eight State Police posts across Western Kentucky

In addition to my law enforcement duties, I was honored to serve as Chairman of the Kentucky State Police Legal Defense Fund and President of the Kentucky State Police Professional Association. I am also a Certified Police Instructor through the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council, teaching officers across the state in leadership, drug enforcement, and criminal investigations. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Police Administration.

After retiring from the Kentucky State Police, I continued my service as:

• Investigator for the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office

• Police Instructor at the Department of Criminal Justice Training Academy

• Chief Deputy and later Major with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, where I helped the agency achieve and maintain state accreditation—a distinction earned by only a select few Sheriff’s Offices in Kentucky.

In 2023, I retired from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, but was honored to be asked to return part-time. On September 11, 2025, our office proudly received its third state accreditation certificate.

Why I’m Running

Though my career has taken me across the Commonwealth, my heart has always been here with the people of Russell County. This is where I want to dedicate my experience, leadership, and faith in service to you.

If given the privilege to serve as your Sheriff, I will bring decades of law enforcement leadership, a proven record of integrity, and a commitment to community-centered policing.

I have always trusted the Lord to guide my path, and I believe this next step is part of His plan for my life. With your support, I will work every day to ensure Russell County remains a safe, strong, and thriving community for generations to come.

Jeff Hancock
Candidate for Sheriff of Russell County