Since November 2012, Sheriff Mark J. Dannels has been elected by the good citizens of Cochise County to serve as their 26^th Cochise County Sheriff since 1881.  I continue to be Humbled, Honored and Dedicated to my oath of office for this incredible opportunity to serve you all with my personal commitment to sustain your Quality of Life as you would expect, and your Freedoms and Liberties as scribed in the United States and Arizona Constitutions. 

Sheriff Mark J. Dannels is a 40-year veteran of law enforcement.  He holds a master’s degree in criminal justice management from Aspen University and is a Certified Public Manager from Arizona State University.  He has over 3000 hours of law enforcement training in his portfolio.  He attended Disney’s Leadership and Executive Training programs and is a graduate of the Rural Executive Management Institute. He began his law enforcement career in 1984 after serving a successful tour in the United States Army.  He progressed through the ranks with the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office to the position of Deputy Commander after working numerous specialty assignments and leadership roles to include appointments by Arizona Governors for his dedicated efforts directed toward public safety standards. 

Sheriff Dannels is a long time member of the Fraternal Order of Police, past member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council, current member of the National Sheriffs Association where he serves as the Border Security Chairman, Southwest Border Sheriffs Executive Board, Western States Sheriffs Association Executive Board, Arizona Sheriffs Association where he serves as past-president, Chair of the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, Arizona Homeland Security-Regional Advisory Council, Alliance to Combat Transnational Threats, Border Security Advisory Council, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and serves on several community service groups; San Pedro Kiwanis, Just Kids Inc., CASA, Sierra Vista Elks, the Boys and Girls Club of Sierra Vista, former Varsity Wrestling Coach at Buena High School, and teaches at Wayland Baptist University and Cochise College. Sheriff Dannels participates in many community outreach programs such as Project Graduation, Sizzle, Stocking Stuffers, Community Haunted House, Men who Cook, Kars for Kids, Miss Sierra Vista and Shop with a Cop. 

Sheriff Dannels has been recognized and awarded the Medal of Valor, Western States Sheriff of the Year, Herald/Review Person of the Year, Outstanding Business Person of the Year, Western States Sheriff Star, Marquis Who’s Who, Sheriff’s Medal, Deputy of the Year, Distinguished Service Award, Unit Citation Award, National Police Hall of Fame, Lifesaving Award and dozens of community-service awards from service groups and governmental organizations.

Sheriff Dannels is married to Nickie, a Registered Nurse.  They have three sons, Justin, a Police Officer/Sergeant with the City of Sierra Vista, Ryan a former Firefighter/Paramedic with the City of Sierra Vista, and Corey, a Lineman with the Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative.  

Sheriff Dannels has 3 primary objectives:  Organizational Development, Border Security and Community Outreach.  

“A Sheriff for All the People”

Sheriff Jose Francisco (Joe Frank) Martinez

Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez is an experienced career law enforcement professional with forty-seven years of law enforcement experience with the Del Rio Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Sheriff’s Office of Val Verde County. 

A recognized leader in law enforcement circles, Sheriff Martinez is the Chairman of the Southwest Border Sheriff’s Coalition and past Chairman of the Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition.  He was elected Sheriff of Val Verde County, Texas in November 2008 and has since been re-elected to that position three times.

Sheriff Martinez possesses an in-depth knowledge of criminal threats and law enforcement operations in the U.S.-Mexico Border Regions.  As a law enforcement officer in the Texas Department of Public Safety, Sheriff Martinez spent eleven years as a Sergeant Investigator with the Narcotics service, where he supervised and conducted criminal investigations into narcotics smuggling, organized crime related to narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and organized gang investigations. Earlier, he had worked in Commercial Vehicle Enforcement for ten years as a License and Weight Trooper, a capacity in which he conducted vehicle inspections and enforced Federal Motor Carrier Vehicle Regulations as they pertain to commercial motor vehicles.  Sheriff Martinez was also assigned to the Highway Patrol Service for approximately four years.

Prior to his retirement from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Sheriff Martinez worked for the Del Rio Police Department, assigned to the Detective Division where he conducted investigations of such felony offenses as Capital Murder, Murder, Theft, Burglary, and Unauthorized use of a Motor Vehicle.

William “Clint” McDonald

Clint began his law enforcement career with the Kimble County Sheriff’s Office in 1985. In 1996, he joined the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office as Deputy Sheriff/Jail Administrator and was promoted to Chief Deputy/Jail Administrator by the following year. In 2004, he was appointed Sheriff for 1 year, and then was elected for 3 full terms. He retired January 1, 2017

As a founding member of both Coalitions, Clint served 2 terms as Chairman of TBSC. 

Clint was voted in as Executive Director of TBSC and SWBSC in March of 2018.  He also served 1 term on the executive board of the Sheriff’s Association of Texas.  Clint has also served 9 years as President to the Sanderson, Texas chapter of the Lions Club and has been a 20-year member of the Texas Tax Assessor-Collector’s Association.

It is a honor to serve!