Welch announces candidacy for Washington County sheriff

Chris Welch officially announces his candidacy for Washington County Sheriff.

Born to long-time educators Mike and Gwen Welch, Chris has been a lifelong resident of Washington County and a 20-year member of Shiloh Baptist Church. He is married to the former Wendy Usery, daughter of Edwin Usery and Sandra Adkison. He and Wendy have two children, Keegan (5 years) and Karley (7 months).

After graduating from Chipley High School, Chris attended Chipola Junior College and Florida A&M University before graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Troy State University. He attended the Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Academy in 1997 and since that time has completed over 1,500 hours of public safety related training.

Welch’s law enforcement career began in 1998 when the Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations of the State Fire Marshal’s Office hired him as an investigator. After a short stay in Tallahassee, Chris was glad to transfer back home to Washington County, where he is still employed as an arson investigator. Throughout his career, he has been the lead investigator on hundreds of cases.

Because arson is often associated with other crimes, Chris has been involved in various types of criminal cases ranging from burglary to murder. Overseeing these cases from start to finish has given him the opportunity to become very familiar with all aspects of the criminal justice system. Being responsible for a multi-county coverage area has allowed him to interact with countless public safety agencies within his assigned area and he takes pride in the relationships he has formed with each.