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Biographies
Sheriff
Patti was appointed in May 2022 by Executive Constantine and confirmed by the County Council as the 35th Sheriff of King County.
Before her previous promotion to Undersheriff, in the summer of 2020, Patti served as the Chief of the Technical Services Division for almost five years. Prior to joining the King County Sheriff's Office in October of 2015, Cole-Tindall served as the director of the King County Office of Labor Relations for six years.
Patti's previous experiences include serving as an internal affairs investigator for the County’s Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, and an assistant director of that department’s Community Corrections Division. At the state Employment Security Department, she was responsible for the regional investigative program that detected fraud and theft of unemployment benefits. She was also a special agent for the Washington State Gambling Commission, and completed the Basic Law Enforcement Academy.
More recently, she served as a key advisor to the King County Executive and County Council on strategic planning, labor policy development and employment law as the Director of Labor Relations. She concurrently served as the interim director of the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO), working with staff, the Sheriff's Office, and the public to improve services and promote awareness of the role of civilian oversight in King County.
While she was Undersheriff, Cole-Tindall was responsible for the day to day operations of the Sheriff’s Office together with the team of three Division Chiefs. She oversaw the development and implementation of the King County Sheriff’s Office Strategic Plan and examination and strengthening of the Sheriff’s Office complaint and use of force review processes.
Patti enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and her two sons.
Patricia Cole-Tindall 
Undersheriff
Undersheriff Jesse Anderson has over 30 years of policing experience with the King County Sheriff’s Office. He has served in a wide array of assignments and has continuously built on his career experience within KCSO. Jesse began his career at the Southwest Precinct in Burien. He has held several operational, investigative and administrative assignments as deputy, detective, sergeant and captain throughout his career until returning to the Southwest Precinct to serve as the Commander. Jesse later promoted to Chief and was assigned to lead the Patrol Operations Division until accepting his current position as the Undersheriff.
Jesse has dedicated his career to providing high quality and professional law enforcement services to the residents of unincorporated King County and the contract cities in which he has served. He has long term, well established working relationships within KCSO and with Sheriff’s Office contract partners. During his tenure as the head of the Contracting Unit, Jesse worked with contract partners to problem solve and meet their contract needs. His firsthand experience with contracting includes assignments in the City of Burien Community Policing Unit, Burien Street Crimes Unit, serving as a City of Sammamish patrol sergeant and Acting Chief of Police, and as a captain for the Metro Transit Police.
Jesse spent almost a third of his career in the Major Crimes Unit where he was responsible for the investigation and supervision of homicides, suspicious deaths, felony assaults, robberies, officer involved shootings, animal abuse, kidnapping, missing persons, and juvenile runaway investigations.
Jesse enjoys engaging with all members of our King County communities and has an established reputation as a trusted leader with the highest standards of integrity. Building police/community trust and implementing progressive policing opportunities are two of his top priorities. Jesse is committed to fair, consistent, and equitable treatment as a leader in the Sheriff’s Office.
In addition to having a bachelor’s degree and many supervisory & management training classes, Jesse’s law enforcement education includes graduating from the FBI National Academy and the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, School of Police Staff & Command.
In his downtime, Jesse enjoys spending time with family, mountain biking, hiking, and traveling.
Jesse Anderson 
Chief of Special Operations Division
Chief Jeffrey (Jeff) Flohr has over 28 years of law enforcement experience. Jeff began his career in the Bay Area of California, where he worked for Moraga and San Pablo Police Departments. During his time in California, Jeff served as Field Training Officer, K9 Handler, Drug Recognition Expert, Gang Detective, and member of several state and federal task forces.
Drawn to the size and diversity of the King County Sheriff’s Office and the variety of assignments and opportunities it provides, Jeff began his career with KCSO in early 2005. He started as a Deputy in the contract city of Kenmore, served as a School Resource Officer in Kirkland, and quickly became a Master Police Officer (MPO) before being promoted to Sergeant in 2012. During his tenure as Sergeant, Jeff had numerous assignments, including North Precinct patrol, KCSO patrol K9 Unit, Sound Transit, Special Emphasis Team, and Explosive Detection K9 Unit. In 2016, Jeff was selected to be the Field Operations Administrative Sergeant for the Patrol Operations Chief. In this role, Jeff supported KCSO patrol operations and assignments county-wide, including Background Investigations, staffing, and recruiting. Jeff also coordinated the Critical Incident Review Boards for KCSO.
In September 2021, Jeff was promoted to Chief and assigned the Technical Services Division, where he oversaw the successful ratification of multiple groundbreaking labor contracts, introduced and secured funding for body-worn cameras, and improved recruiting to achieve the most hires of any Law Enforcement agency in Washington State. With the addition of two new divisions at KCSO in 2023, Jeff now leads the Special Operations Division, which is comprised of TAC-30 (SWAT), Marine Rescue Dive Unit, Airport Rescue Fire Fighting, Bomb Squad, Air Support Unit, Search and Rescue, Sound Transit, Metro Transit, and the Crisis Negotiation Team.
Jeff believes in community policing that is fair and accountable. Throughout his career, Jeff has led by example and built strong working relationships at all levels of government through open and honest communication. Jeff has served as Incident Commander for high-profile events including dignitary visits, anti-terrorism efforts, concerts, sporting events, and civil disturbances. He has also led the development and implementation of several initiatives, including the creation of Sound Transit’s Special Emphasis Team (SET) to enhance rider and employee safety; modernizing the statistical tracking of K9 deployments, contacts, and training documentation; working with the King County Council to implement ordinances impacting solicitations and noise complaints; and working with U.S. Senators and Congress members to update King County’s 911 system to address next-generation issues. Jeff has received numerous accolades and awards throughout his career, including Officer of the Year, Deputy of the Year, Sergeant of the Year, Lifesaver Award, and the Sheriff’s Medal.
Jeff attended Saint Mary’s College of California on a football scholarship. He has also attended numerous specialty law-enforcement and leadership development courses. Most recently, he completed the FBI-LEEDA Executive Leadership Institute. Jeff and his wife, Stevee, have been together for over 20 years. They enjoy traveling, watching their daughter play softball, and playing with their dog.
Jeffrey Flohr 
Chief of Community Programs and Services Division
Cheol Kang is a law enforcement professional with a diverse background in the United States Navy and civilian law enforcement. He is the Chief of the Community Programs and Services Division for the King County Sheriff’s Office, where he is responsible for the agency’s outreach programs, recruiting efforts, communications, and contracting.
Cheol was originally born in Pusan, South Korea. He and his family immigrated to the United States as a child. He grew up in Tacoma, Washington, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Seattle University in 1999. He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from TUI University, where he graduated with summa cum laude honors in 2009.
Cheol began his public service in the United States Navy, where he served as an aviation maintenance officer for EA-6B Prowler squadrons at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. He deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After leaving active duty, Kang continued to serve as a public affairs officer in the Navy Reserves, holding positions such as Fleet Week Officer in Charge and Reserve Public Affairs Director at Naval Special Warfare Command.
Cheol joined the Mukilteo Police Department in 2004 and has held a variety of positions during his tenure, including patrol officer, detective, crime prevention officer, patrol sergeant, detective sergeant, and police commander. He was responsible for the creation of the crime prevention division and all its outreach and education programs, such as the Citizens Police Academy, National Night Out Against Crime, and the Police Volunteer program. Kang also served as a criminal law instructor for the Washington State Basic Law Enforcement Academy.
Cheol served for seven years as the Police Chief for the Mukilteo Police Department, where he oversaw the creation of several new programs, including the School Resource Officer, Embedded Social Worker, Body Worn Cameras, supervisor leadership development, and employee wellness. He also serves as an associate instructor in the Criminal Justice Department at Everett Community College.
Cheol's dedication to law enforcement and his community is evident in his many years of service and leadership in implementing innovative programs to promote public safety and well-being.
Cheol Kang 
Chief of Criminal Investigations Division
Chief Shawn Ledford has over 33 years of law enforcement experience with the King County Sheriff’s Office. Shawn began his career in 1989 at the Federal Way Precinct as a patrol deputy. During his time in patrol, he was a field training officer, master police officer, and negotiator on the Hostage Negotiations Team. He became a detective in the Special Assault Unit and then Major Crimes. In 1999 he was promoted to sergeant and worked at the Maple Valley Precinct. Shawn was selected to be the Chief of Police for the City of Newcastle (KCSO partner city) where he worked for five years.
In 2006 Shawn was promoted to captain and worked at the Southwest Precinct (Burien). He transferred to the North Precinct (Kenmore) as the operations captain. As a captain he also worked assignments in contracting and the Criminal Investigations Division. In 2012 Shawn was selected by the City of Shoreline (KCSO partner city) to be their police chief. Shawn worked as the Shoreline Chief for nearly ten years before being promoted to Division Chief with the Sheriff’s Office. Shawn was the Patrol Operations Division Chief for one year and transferred to the Criminal Investigations Division in January 2023.
Shawn has worked hard to promote community policing and setting the expectations to treat people in a fair and objective manner. He also understands that many of the issues that law enforcement members deal with on a daily basis have a nexus to behavioral health issues; often fueled by drug, or alcohol abuse. In 2015 the Shoreline Police Department submitted for and received a Department of Justice, smart policing grant for RADAR – Response Awareness De-Escalation and Referral. The program (RADAR) provides information to officers up front to try and reduce use of force incidents. It also pairs mental health professionals with officers to follow-up with people in need and connect them to behavioral health services. In 2018 the cities of Bothell, Kenmore, Kirkland and Lake Forest Park joined the RADAR program. The cities work collaboratively and have been funded by King County Mental Illness Drug Dependency funds, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chief grants and a second Department of Justice grant.
Chief Ledford has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in sociology and criminology from Western Washington University.
Shawn Ledford 
Chief of Patrol Operations Division
Chief Jose Marenco has 25 years of experience with the King County Sheriff’s Office. Before joining the KCSO, Chief Marenco began his police career with the Snoqualmie Police Department where he served for two years as a patrol officer. He has been assigned as the Patrol Operations Division Chief since January of 2023.
Jose’s prior assignment was the Chief of the Metro Transit Police, a contract for KCSO. This assignment started in October 2020. He led the Metro Transit Police to provide public safety services to the largest transit agency in the state as well as the seventh largest in the country. This division consisted of 82 full-time positions with 79 commissioned staff as well as three non-commissioned support staff. During his tenure he led the organization through significant changes in police practices towards a more supportive and inclusive approach aimed at improving public safety for everyone. He also led the King County Sheriff’s Office in initiatives that supported those experiencing homelessness, were in mental crisis, and those that are most vulnerable or do not have a voice. All of his solutions were collaborative and inclusive of several organizations that focused on support and leaving enforcement as a last resort.
Prior to his assignment at Metro Transit, Jose worked patrol assignments at Precincts 2 and 4, Sammamish, and Woodinville. He was a detective in the Street Crimes Unit, Neighborhood Drug Enforcement Team, and the Criminal Investigations Unit. As a sergeant, he was initially assigned to Precinct 4 before moving to the Court Protection Unit and then to Woodinville operations. Jose then returned to investigations where he was assigned to the Special Assault Unit and later the Internal Investigations Unit. He promoted to Captain in 2017 and was assigned to Metro Transit Police as the administrative captain. Jose was the Criminal Investigations Division Commander before promoting to Major.
Jose is a compassionate and collaborative leader who leads with deep respect for others, a value that he says has been instilled in him by his parents. This compassion has shaped his career and helped him be successful in his many roles in law enforcement.
Jose has been married to his wife for 25 years and they have four children. He is passionate about sports and has been a volunteer and coach for youth baseball and wrestling since 2002. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time in the outdoors, hiking with his family, and fly fishing. His family provides him with his greatest inspiration to contribute to the community and make it safer for everyone.
Jose has a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Washington.
Jose Marenco 
Chief of Support Services Division
Support Services provides the bulk of services that are vital to efficient operations. Often, the employees in this division provide direct services to residents as well as support services to the other divisions.
The services provided by the division personnel include emergency 9-1-1 call receiving and dispatching, technology development, records, personnel, payroll, purchasing, training, photography, application and administration of grants, and planning.
Chief of Staff
Geoffrey Thomas has lived and worked in Western Washington since 1994. In Geoffrey’s earlier career, he worked as a land use and environmental planner for Pacific County, Lewis County, and the City of Redmond. He also worked as a project manager for private residential development and public works projects primarily in Snohomish County. In 2008, Geoffrey moved from planning into legislative analysis with Snohomish County’s Office of the County Council.
With Snohomish County’s Council Office, Geoffrey worked for over 10 years as a senior legislative analyst. His area of focus was on policy and budgetary analysis and development in a number of areas including: law enforcement, corrections, human services, district and superior court, public defense, prosecution, information technologies, fleet, facilities, parks and recreation, land use planning, elections, Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field), and public works. In 2018, Geoffrey was promoted to the Snohomish County Council’s Chief of Staff. In that position, Geoffrey managed the affairs of the Council Office at the direction of the County Council.
Geoffrey began working for the King County Sheriff’s Office as Chief of Staff in 2023. In this role, Geoffrey provides advice, mentoring, and leadership in developing and fulfilling the department’s vision, mission, and goals. Geoffrey’s portfolio of work includes intergovernmental relations between the department and external agencies including cities, intra-governmental relations between the department and King County departments and offices, coordinating on the department’s financial planning, facilitating the Sheriff’s Community Advisory Board, and other similar or emergent areas of work.
Geoffrey has a strong and diverse background in government administration, people and project management, government affairs and relations, policy and budget development, legislative analysis and advocacy, and city/county planning. He brings administrative and policy level experience in law enforcement, the legal and justice system, human services, and other fields related to the Sheriff’s Office.
In his spare time, Geoffrey enjoys spending time with family, cooking, traveling, hiking, and reading.
