Susan Pamerleau

Susan Lewellyn Pamerleau
Sheriff of Bexar County, Texas
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1, 2013
Preceded by	Amadeo Ortiz
Personal details
Born	1945 Oklahoma, specific location missing
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	University of Wyoming Golden State University Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania John F. Kennedy School of Government Kellogg School of Management
Religion	Christian Church
Website	http://reelectsusan.com/
Military service
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Rank	Major General

Susan Lewellyn Pamerleau (born 1945) is a retired United States Air Force major general, and the current Republican sheriff of Bexar County, which includes her adopted city of San Antonio, Texas.

Pamerleau is the daughter of the late Disciples of Christ minister Truce Pamerleau and the former Mary Nelle Lewellyn. She is originally from Knoxville. Pamerleau received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Wyoming at Laramie in 1968 (GPA 2.65) and an M.P.A. from Golden Gate University in 1997.^[1][2][3][4]

Career

Susan served in the United Stated Air Force for 32 years, being promoted to Brigadier General (United States) in 1994 and to Major General (United States) in 1997. Her first billet as a General officer in the United States USAF general officer was as Commandant of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.

After retiring from the Air Force Susan worked at USAA, first as Vice President of Membership Development, and later as Senior Vice President of Specialized Operations & International.^[5]

In 2012 Susan was elected as the first female Sheriff in the history of Bexar County, Texas.^[6] In the 9 November 2016 election, Pamerleau lost her bid for a second term to Democrat Javier Salazar. ^[7]

Personal life

In 1978, after seeking counseling help Susan left her abusive husband after 8 years. After she left him her husband then committed suicide. Susan cited her experiences with family violence as a reason to run during her 2012 campaign.^[8]

Bexar County Sheriff's Office

Citing technology and policy issues that were "30 years behind", Pamerleau conducted a top to bottom review of the Sheriff's Office and began implementing policies to modernize the office. Improvements included digital record keeping, stab-vests for detention officers, and improved communications within the jail.^[9]

Mental health advocate and journalist Pete Earley has said of Bexar County's jail diversion programs “I’ve been to 48 states, five foreign countries, and I’ve testified five times before Congress, and Bexar County is known as the gold standard.” “(Bexar County is the) leading county in America when it comes to jail diversion and stopping the inappropriate incarceration of people who have serious illness like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.”^[10]

In the spring of the Bexar County Deputy Sheriff's Association Union called for a vote of no confidence in Pamerleau. Of the 1600 deputies in the department 219 voted no confidence.^[11]

In 2016 she faced questions about four suicides in the Bexar County Jail from June 28 to July 22.^[12]

In the 9 November 2016 election, Pamerleau lost to Democrat Javier Salazar, a San Antonio police officer who has never run for elected office. ^[13]

Medals and decorations

Major General Pamerleau holds these accreditations:

	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
	Defense Superior Service Medal
	Legion of Merit
	Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
	Air Force Commendation Medal
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

References

1. "MAJOR GENERAL SUSAN L. PAMERLEAU > U.S. Air Force > Biography Display". af.mil. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
2. "Sheriff Susan L. Pamerleau | Bexar County, TX - Official Website". bexar.org. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
3. "University of Wyoming | UWyo Magazine | A Lifetime of Dedicated Service". uwyo.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
4. "Joining Air Force Made Her Top Flight Major General Didn't Plan High-Flying Career - Spokesman.com - Aug. 3, 1997". spokesman.com. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
5. "Susan Pamerleau Resume" (PDF).
6. "New sheriff in town looks past her historic election". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2016-11-08.
7. "Democrat Salazar knocks off incumbent sheriff". Express News. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
8. "Domestic abuse shapes sheriff candidate's outlook". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2016-11-08.
9. Lantigua-Williams, Juleyka. "How Jails Can Benefit From Corporate Principles". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2016-11-08.
10. "Mental Health is 'No. 1' Issue Facing Texas, U.S. Jails". The Rivard Report. OCTOBER 11, 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016. Check date values in: |date= (help)
11. "Few officers vote 'no confidence' in Bexar County Sheriff Pamerleau". News4SA.com. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
12. "4 suicides in less than 4 weeks: Bexar County officials confirm latest death at jail". Express News. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
13. "Democrat Salazar knocks off incumbent sheriff". Express News. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.