Harvey County was founded in 1872, and soon with it came the establishment of the Harvey County Sheriff's Office. W.M. Chamberlain was the first person to be elected sheriff on May 20, 1872. There have been 31 people to serve as sheriff in the County, including current Sheriff Chad Gay, who began his first term Jan. 9, 2017. The sheriff is an elected position that runs a four-year term. 

Chad Gay 2017 - present
T. Walton 2009 - 2017
A.J. Wuthnow 2007 - 2009
Byron L. Motter 1990 - 2007
Galen Morford 1973 - 1990
Norman Walker 1967 - 1973
Russell Werner 1963 - 1967
Harry C. Cowan 1959 - 1963
Weldon K. Morford 1955 - 1959
Walter K. Rogers 1951 - 1955
Harry Goodman 1947 - 1951
Lester Monroe 1943 - 1947
Harry Goodman 1939 - 1943
Lester Monroe 1935 - 1939
Frank Darney 1931 - 1935
J.M. McIntire 1927 - 1931
Carl E. Adams 1923 - 1927
Will Patton 1919 - 1923
J.N. Smith 1915 - 1919
E.W. Slaymaker 1911 - 1915
A.R. Ainsworth 1909 - 1911
J.S. Blanpied 1905 - 1909
C.D. Masters 1900 - 1905
W.E. Means 1898 - 1899
R.J. Judkins 1894 - 1898
E.E. Pollard 1890 - 1894
James Ryan 1886 - 1890
John F. Wafer 1882 - 1886
H.H. McAdams 1878 - 1882
S.D. Leonard 1876 - 1878
George Hagerty 1874 - 1876
C.A. Tracy 1873 - 1874
W.M. Chamberlain 1872 - 1873

The Harvey County Detention Center has been housed in four buildings. The first was constructed in 1880, after an 1879 election vote carried a proposition to issue county bonds for $6,000 to build the facility. Over time, the first iteration of the jail showed inadequacies, growing unsuitable for its purpose.

A 1916 special election allowed the county commission to build a new jail. C.C. Peterson submitted the winning bid at $16,143. The jail was completed Aug. 22, 1922.

As time wore on, a facility upgrade was once again needed. Construction for the new Harvey County Courthouse, including a jail, began in 1964.

The current Harvey County Detention Center opened in 1997. The ground-breaking ceremony was held Nov. 20, 1995.

Harvey County Jail 1880 150Harvey County Jail 1917 150Harvey County Jail and Courthouse 1964 150Harvey County Detention Center 1995 150

(The evolution of Harvey County detention centers. From left to right: 1880, 1917, 1964, 1997.)