After a vote by the Delaware County Republican Central Committee Thursday evening, Jeffrey Balzer official became the county’s 42nd sheriff.

Balzer was appointed by the Delaware County Board of Commissioners to serve as acting sheriff on April 17, when former Sheriff Russ Martin officially retired. Balzer will serve out the remainder of Martin’s term, which ends on Jan. 5, 2025. Martin had been sheriff since 2012.

In his 38-year career in law enforcement, Balzer has served as a deputy sheriff in Champagne County, an officer with the City of Delaware Police Department, and as a deputy U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio, where he worked for 24 years until 2016 when he was hired by Martin to serve as chief deputy in Delaware County. In his role with the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, he oversaw the Delaware County Jail and courts.

Balzer has been a resident of the county for 37 years.

In his retirement announcement, Martin tapped Balzer as his replacement. In April, he said Balzer shares the same vision for the Sheriff’s Office that he did, adding they had worked side by side for years on planning, budgets and initiatives.

“He’s experienced, respected, and ready to step into the gap,” Martin said of Balzer in April.

After the Central Committee’s majority vote on Thursday, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement about Balzer’s appointment that said Balzer credits Martin for “laying the groundwork and establishing the Sheriff’s Office as a trustworthy agency.”

“I promise I will hold myself and the entire DCSO team to the highest standards of conduct,”said Sheriff Balzer. “This is what our citizens expect and deserve. The men and women of the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office will continue their strong commitment to serve and protect others. We will consistently work to earn the support of our community and be worthy of being known as the Best Sheriff’s Office in Ohio.”

Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG.