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Department History
A look at Today's Modern Department
The Department currently has 23 cruisers - which consist of Chevrolet Impalas, Crown Victorias, Ford Expeditions and Chevy Luminas. The Department also has 2 Prisoner Transport Vans as well as 2 snowmobiles for winter forest patrol.
Historical
The Bennington County Sheriff's Department has a rich history in Vermont. Originally founded in 1781 by Sheriff Jonas Galusha, the department had no means of funding until 1986 when Gary J. Forrest was appointed Sheriff by Governor Kunin. Gary J. Forrest served as Sheriff from 1986-2009 building the modern day Bennington Sheriff's Department. The Sheriff has worked hard to build a department that has deep reaches in the County. In September of 2009, Chad D. Schmidt was sworn in as Sheriff, replacing the retiring Sheriff Gary Forrest. In February 2024, James A. Gulley, Jr., MPA was sworn in as Sheriff.
Our Department's Historical Listing of Sheriffs'
- Jonas Galusha - 1781-1787 (Shaftsbury)
- David Robinson - 1787-1798 (Bennington)
- William Cooley - 1798-1800 (Rupert)
- David Robinson - 1800-1811 (Bennington)
- Samuel Fay - 1811-1823 (Bennington)
- Josiah Burton - 1823-1826 (Manchester)
- Samuel Canfield - 1826-1836 (Arlington)
- John Norton - 1836-1837 (Bennington)
- Gurdin H. Smith - 1837-1839 (Manchester)
- Raymond Fish - 1839-1840 (Bennington)
- Gurdin H. Smith - 1840-1842 (Manchester)
- John V.D.S. McEowen - 1842-1845 (Bennington)
- Jasper Viall - 1845-1849 (Dorset)
- James S. Merrill - 1849-1853 (Bennington)
- Jasper Viall - 1853-1859 (Dorset)
- John Robinson - 1882-1884 (Bennington)
- James McCall - 1884-1888 (Rupert)
- Andrew J. Pike - 1888-1890 (Readsboro)
- John Robinson - 1890-1892 (Bennington)
- Henry S. Wilson - 1892-1906 (Arlington)
- Fredrick Godfrey - 1906-1919 (Bennington)
- Perry B. Gardner - 1919-1922 (Bennington)
- Patrick H. Thompson - 1922-1924 (Arlington)
- Wilton A. Viall - 1924-1925 (Bennington)
- Perry B. Gardner - 1925-1934 (Bennington)
- William E. Bissell - 1934-1935 (Bennington)
- Clyde Peck - 1935-1947 (Bennington)
- John Maloney - 1947-1986 (Bennington)
- Gary J. Forrest - 1986-2009 (Bennington)
- Chad D. Schmidt - 2009-2023 (Bennington)
- James Gulley, Jr. - 2023-Present (Bennington)