Re-election Announcement

Sheriff Nienhuis stated, "I have been the Sheriff of Hernando County for well over 12 years. My family and I have been very humbled by the overwhelming public support we’ve received from every corner of the county. I have said from the beginning that, as long as the citizens and members of the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office were pleased with my service - and expressed their support, I would be honored to run for re-election in 2024. I have listened to them and, with my family, prayerfully considered this decision. We are confident that this is the right decision – to continue on this path of service to the citizens of Hernando County as their Sheriff. My entire immediate family lives in and loves Hernando County.  We are excited about the opportunities the next term will bring."

My command staff and I have made great strides toward providing even better service than the citizens had been accustomed to, all at a reduced cost to taxpayers. While acting as the 100th President of the Florida Sheriffs Association, I was able to start a pilot program in about a dozen sheriffs offices where DNA will be taken during the booking process and compared against the national database of unsolved crimes.  This will allow us to identify wanted individuals in minutes and hours, instead of weeks and months.  My goal over the next four years is to usher in a new era of rapid DNA testing, allowing us to use the same technology with DNA collected at crimes scenes, allow us to identify potential suspects in less than a day, as opposed to waiting weeks for DNA testing to come back from the lab.  This will get criminals in jail quicker, thereby quickly eliminating their ability to create more more victims while law enforcement waits for test results.  

We also need leadership as the county grows.  Law enforcement needs more space for state-of-the-art training, evidence testing and storage facilities, and expansion of our detention facilities.  I enjoy a challenge and look forward to what the next four years bring for Hernando County. 

As the economy improves and new construction returns to Hernando County, the agency will be faced with more challenges in the next 5 years than it has in the last decade.  I look forward to leading my team during these next five years as we become even more efficient in making Hernando County a place that people want to live, work, play, raise a family and start a business.  I hope I can count on your support."