The Hughes County Commission has appointed Darin Johnson as Sheriff effective immediately.
Johnson was appointed interim sheriff in mid-January, filling the position vacated by Mike Leidholt when he took over as the Secretary of Corrections for the State of South Dakota.
Johnson has served in the Hughes County Sheriff’s Department since 1997, mostly recently as chief deputy sheriff. Johnson’s appointment is for two years, until the next general election in 2020, when he will have to run for election, should he choose to do so.
Hughes County Commission Chairman Roger Inman says sheriff Johnson has not only a wealth of law enforcement experience, but a wealth of experience in the Hughes County Sheriff’s Department. He is uniquely qualified to lead his department into the future.
