Leroy Burch

December 3, 1986, to March 20, 1992

Leroy Burch was born on December 17, 1954, in Wise County. He began his career in Law Enforcement working for the sheriff's department under Rook Ramsey in 1980 as a jailer. On January 29, 1982, he went to work for the Bridgeport Police Department and was a patrol officer until November 1982. That year he went to work for Decatur Police Department. He served as the chief of police in Boyd from July 17, 1984, to December 2, 1984.

He returned to the sheriff's department on December 15, 1984, as chief deputy for Ray Aaron and served in this capacity until December 1986 when Aaron resigned. He was appointed sheriff by the commissioner’s court to replace Aaron. He was later elected on November 8, 1988, and served until March 20, 1992, when he resigned.

It was during both Ray Aaron and Leroy Burch's terms that Wise County experienced an increase of clandestine laboratories and body dumping. This was due to the proximity to the Metroplex that many drug-related arrests were reported during this period.

The third building that county law enforcement would inhabit was completed during Burch's administration. In 1987, the building that the sheriff's department and jail now occupy was built on the west side of Decatur, near US Hwy. 380. The building housed 72 inmates, had a full kitchen, and many other different sections that made the jail more modern. This included security cameras both in and outside the building that would be monitored 24 hours a day. In addition, for the first time, the booking area had two holding cells, and a detoxification cell. This was also the first jail built that did not include living quarters for the sheriff.

Many of the changes were the results of mandates by the Texas Jail Commission.