Hernando’s Al Nienhuis to lead Florida Sheriffs Association

Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis has been sworn in as the next President of the Florida Sheriffs Association.

Nienhuis, Hernando Sheriff since 2011, will serve a full year directing the Florida Sheriffs Association and its 67 Sheriffs.

Other officers moving up in the ranks include Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper as Vice President, Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell as Secretary, Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma as Treasurer, Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum as immediate past President, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods as Chair, and Flagler County Sheriff Rick Stay as Vice Chair.

“It is an honor to serve as the president of the Florida Sheriffs Association,” Nienhuis said in a news release issued by the association. “As the third-most populous state in the U.S., Florida is quite diverse, and I take great pride in working with my fellow sheriffs as a team so our residents and visitors are safe and happy.”

Nienhuis began his law enforcement career as a special agent at the state Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, from 1989-2001. He rose through the ranks to serve as Captain of the Fort Myers District.

From 2001-2010, he was the undersheriff for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. In January 2011, he was appointed Sheriff of Hernando. He was elected in 2012, and re-elected in 2016 and 2020.

Nienhuis holds a master of business administration degree from University of South Florida, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

“In Hernando County, we have two simultaneous responsibilities as we interact with our community,” Nienhuis said in the release. “The first is to maintain the safety of the county, which we take seriously. Just as important, however, is our second task of making our citizens feel safe.”

Founded in 1893, the Florida Sheriffs Association is one of the nation’s largest. Membership is made up of the 67 Sheriffs of Florida plus approximately 3,000 business leaders and 100,000 private citizens throughout the state who support local law enforcement.