Florida Bar member is the new Sarasota County sheriff
Newly elected Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Alan Hoffman, a member of The Florida Bar, was sworn in to office January 5.
“There is nothing better than wearing this uniform and serving the community I grew up in,” Sheriff Hoffman said. “I am humbled by the opportunity this community has given me and I am excited about the four years ahead. Sarasota County is by far the best place to live in the state of Florida and I can’t think of a better place to take this next step in my career.”
Sheriff Hoffman began his law enforcement career in 1989 at the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. In 1997 after earning his Juris Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University, Hoffman became an assistant state attorney for the 12th Judicial Circuit. In 2005, Hoffman joined the sheriff’s office as the agency’s general counsel and was soon promoted to the rank of captain. Three years later, he was promoted to the rank of major, and in 2014, was selected by Sheriff Tom Knight to serve as colonel and chief deputy of the nearly 1,000-member agency.
In 2019, Knight announced his plans to retire and endorsed Hoffman in his campaign to become the county’s chief law enforcement officer. Hoffman won the universal primary in August 2020.
Sheriff Hoffman earned his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Saint Leo College and his Master of Science in Criminal Justice from International College. He is a graduate of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center’s Police Legal Advisors Training Program and a member of The Florida Bar’s Labor and Employment Law, and City, County and Local Government Law sections. In 2011, Sheriff Hoffman completed the FBI’s Florida Executive Development Seminar and in 2013, was invited to attend to the FBI’s National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. While at the academy, Sheriff Hoffman earned a Graduate Certificate in Leadership from the University of Virginia.
Sheriff Hoffman and his wife Teri reside in Venice.