How Sheriff Offices Work Across Wyoming

Wyoming has 23 counties, and every one of them has an elected sheriff. The office is created at the county level, so there is no statewide sheriff's agency and nobody in Cheyenne who directs the 23 offices. Voters in each county choose their sheriff, and the sheriff answers to those voters rather than to the county commissioners or the governor. For a state of fewer than 600,000 people spread over roughly 97,000 square miles, that local structure matters. A call in Niobrara County and a call in Laramie County reach very different operations, even though the legal job is the same.

In practice a Wyoming sheriff does several jobs at once. The office patrols unincorporated land, which covers most of the state. It runs the county jail or detention center and serves civil papers such as summonses, subpoenas and eviction orders. Many offices also provide courthouse security. Sheriffs coordinate search and rescue in their counties too, which counts for a lot where mountains, rivers and winter storms put people in trouble. Dispatch arrangements differ from county to county, so the person who answers 911 may work for the sheriff, the county or a joint center.

No state sheriff's department exists, but state bodies still shape the work. The Wyoming Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission sets certification standards for deputies, and new officers train at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy in Douglas. The Division of Criminal Investigation, part of the Attorney General's office, helps county offices with major cases and maintains state criminal history and sex offender registry systems.

Sheriff, City Police or Highway Patrol: Who Answers in Wyoming

Many callers are unsure which agency handles their problem. The split is simpler than it looks.

Authority is more layered on the Wind River Reservation in Fremont County, where tribal, federal and county agencies can all be involved. Which one responds may depend on the location and the people involved. The county contact is the Fremont County Sheriffs Department / Fremont County Jail at 460 Railroad Street in Lander, 307-332-5611. In any emergency, call 911 first and let dispatch sort out the agency.

Urban Counties, Energy Towns and Frontier Counties: How Wyoming Sheriffs Differ

Population drives the biggest differences. Laramie County, home to Cheyenne, and Natrona County, home to Casper, run the largest operations in the state. The Laramie County Sheriffs Department / Laramie County Jail is at 1910 Pioneer Avenue in Cheyenne, 307-633-4700. The Natrona County Sheriffs Office is at 201 North David Street in Casper, 307-235-9282. Both serve busy corridors along I-25 and handle more calls, more court activity and more jail traffic than most Wyoming counties.

Campbell County is coal country. The Campbell County Sheriffs Office / Campbell County Detention Center at 600 West Boxelder Road in Gillette, 307-687-6160, serves a county whose workforce is tied closely to energy and mining. Sweetwater County lists two offices along I-80: one at 731 C Street in Rock Springs (307-352-6800) and one at 80 West Flaming Gorge Way in Green River (307-872-3870). The two towns are only about 13 miles apart, yet each office is a separate stop with its own phone line.

Other counties stretch across mountain ranges, which is why Lincoln County has offices on both sides of the divide. The Afton office at 421 Jefferson Street (307-885-5231) serves Star Valley. The Kemmerer office at 1032 Beech Avenue (307-877-3971) serves the southwestern corner of the state. Johnson County works the same way. Its main office is at 639 Fort Street in Buffalo (307-684-5581), and the Kaycee Substation at 224 Holt Avenue (307-738-2525) keeps a presence far down the road.

At the other end of the scale are counties such as Niobrara (Lusk), Crook (Sundance), Weston (Newcastle) and Platte (Wheatland). Staffs are small, deputies drive long distances between calls, and the sheriff is often the best-known public official in the county. Response times in these areas depend on distance and weather, so give dispatch exact landmarks, mile markers and road names when you call.

What to Bring and Who to Call Before Visiting a Wyoming Sheriff's Office

Dispatch and jail operations run around the clock, but front counters and records desks usually keep weekday business hours. Phone ahead, especially in small counties, where one clerk may handle records, civil papers and the front desk. Most visits go faster if you bring the following:

Ask about accepted payment methods before you go, since fee schedules and payment options vary by office. Incident reports are covered by the Wyoming Public Records Act, but material tied to an open investigation can be withheld. Ask the records clerk what is available and how long it takes.

Some offices also take sex offender registration, which Wyoming law routes through the county sheriff where the person lives. Some also offer fingerprinting for background checks, though policies differ. Protective orders are requested through the court clerk, and the sheriff serves them.

Check the mailing details too. The Carbon County Sheriff's Office listing in Rawlins shows a PO Box rather than a street address, so confirm the physical location by phone (307-324-2776) before you drive. In winter, check WYDOT road conditions by dialing 511 before any long trip, because interstate closures can strand travelers for hours.

Sheriff offices in Wyoming are independently elected county agencies responsible for law enforcement, jail operations, and civil process service. Each county in Wyoming elects its own sheriff, who serves as the chief law enforcement officer for that county's unincorporated areas.

Sheriff locations are available in 26 cities across Wyoming. They are spread across 23 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of sheriff office listings include Buffalo, Pinedale, Rawlins, reflecting the population centers where multiple sub-offices or specialty divisions may be located.

Wyoming residents should note that sheriff offices handle civil law enforcement functions — such as serving eviction notices and foreclosure papers — in addition to criminal law enforcement, so the sheriff office is often the correct point of contact for civil legal matters at the county level.

Sheriff by Counties

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If you are a Wyoming resident looking to obtain a concealed carry permit, request a background check clearance letter, or serve legal documents through official channels, your county sheriff office is the starting point — contact them directly to confirm required documentation and current processing times.

Browse Sheriff by county across Wyoming to find the nearest location.

Reaching Sheriff Services in Wyoming's Basins, Valleys and Border Counties

Geography decides how you reach a sheriff here. In the Bighorn Basin, the Big Horn County Sheriffs Office / Big Horn County Jail sits at 415 Murphy Street in Basin, 307-568-3823. The Park County Sheriffs Office / Park County Jail is at 1402 River View Drive in Cody, 307-527-8700. Hot Springs County is served from 417 Arapahoe Street in Thermopolis, 307-864-2622. These towns are close enough that a call to the wrong county is easy to redirect.

In the west, the Teton County Sheriffs Office at 180 South King Street in Jackson, 307-733-4052, deals with heavy tourism and backcountry rescues. The Sublette County Sheriffs Office / Sublette County Jail at 35 1/2 South Tyler Avenue in Pinedale, 307-367-6593, covers the Upper Green River Valley and the Wind River Range. Uinta County's office is at 77 County Road 109 in Evanston, 307-783-1000, near the Utah line.

College-town and border counties have their own character. The Albany County Sheriffs Office at 525 Grand Avenue in Laramie, 307-721-5322, works alongside the University of Wyoming community. The Goshen County Sheriffs Department / Goshen County Detention Center at 2120 East B Street in Torrington, 307-532-4026, serves an agricultural county near Nebraska. Save the number for your own county before you need it, and do not rely on a cell search in an area with weak coverage.

Each of Wyoming's 23 counties elects its own sheriff directly. The race appears on the general election ballot, and the winner serves a four-year term. County commissioners and the governor do not pick the sheriff, which makes the office answerable to local voters. If a vacancy opens between elections, it is generally filled by appointment rather than a special election. If you have a complaint about a deputy, start with the office's supervisors, and contact the county attorney or commissioners if the issue is not resolved.

It depends on where you are standing. Larger cities such as Cheyenne and Casper have their own police departments for incidents inside city limits. The sheriff handles unincorporated areas and runs the county jail. Smaller communities may have a limited local force or rely on the county office, and the arrangement differs from town to town. In an emergency, dial 911 and give your exact location, because dispatch will send the right agency. For non-emergencies, use the number for your county's sheriff's office listed in our directory.

Some counties operate from more than one location because of distance and geography. Sweetwater County lists offices in Rock Springs and Green River. Lincoln County lists Afton and Kemmerer. Johnson County lists Buffalo and a Kaycee substation. All of these offices belong to the same elected sheriff. Each location may offer different services, so ask which one handles your task, whether that is records, civil papers or jail questions, before you drive. Our county pages list each office with its address and phone number.

No. Wyoming law lets eligible adults carry a concealed firearm in most places without a permit. A permit is still available through the Attorney General's office, which uses the Division of Criminal Investigation for processing, and some people get one to carry in states that honor Wyoming permits. County sheriffs do not issue them. Rules about carrying in schools, courthouses, government meetings and some other locations still apply. Check the current statute or ask the Division of Criminal Investigation before relying on a general summary.

The sheriff's office in the county where the person lives or works usually serves them. You file the case or petition with the clerk of court, not at the sheriff's office. Then give the sheriff's civil process staff the paperwork plus the person's address, work location and schedule. Fees for service can apply, and they vary, so ask before you hand over the papers. If you are seeking a protective order and feel unsafe, contact a local victim advocate or call 911 in an emergency. Sublette County and other rural counties may need extra time for remote addresses.

Call the sheriff's office or jail in the county where the arrest happened. In Natrona County, that means the Casper office at 307-235-9282. In Laramie County, it means the jail line at 307-633-4700. Have the person's full name and date of birth ready. Visiting hours, phone rules, mail and money deposits vary by facility, so ask for the written inmate handbook. Questions about charges or bail should go to the court clerk or the person's attorney, since jail staff generally cannot give legal advice.