WALLACE — Shawn Wehr was sworn in as Shoshone County sheriff Thursday at the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office. 

Wehr, 55, was selected for the appointment Tuesday by the Shoshone County Board of Commissioners after a series of interviews that included Wehr, Travis Skinner and Chris Rice. He had recently come out of retirement to serve as the county's courthouse security officer. 

Born in Alaska, but with deep family roots in Shoshone County, Wehr bounced around quite a bit in his youth due to his father's military service but always considered North Idaho and the Silver Valley his home. Both sets of grandparents and his wife are Silver Valley natives. 

"I spent a lot of time with my grandparents growing up," Wehr said. "I was either swimming in Polio Pond near Elk Creek or trapping on the St. Joe. No matter where we lived, this was always home." 

A former United States Army Ranger and longtime member of the Los Angeles Police Department, he is the county’s third sheriff since October, following the resignations of Holly Lindsey and William Eddy. 

With the appointment, Wehr steps into what has become one of the county’s most contentious departments. 

The Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office has faced persistent turmoil over the past year, marked by budget cuts, staffing shortages and political conflict. County officials proposed nearly $1 million in budget reductions, shifted jail and overtime funding to cover personnel gaps and advanced a $2 million override levy that voters ultimately rejected. A resulting lawsuit, leadership turnover and strained relationships with county commissioners and the county clerk further contributed to the department’s instability. 

Beyond the core responsibilities of public safety and law enforcement, Wehr told commissioners his top priorities include addressing the department’s budget, retaining existing staff, recruiting additional personnel and working toward recertifying the county jail. 

Wehr said one of his priorities will be to obtain Peace Officer Standards and Training certification and to establish a notification roster within the office. 

The notification roster, Wehr explained, would function as a chain-of-command phone tree, ensuring information about critical incidents moves up the supervisory line to the sheriff. 

“So, you're in pursuit and you're going outside of the county. Well, as sheriff, I want to know that if I have a deputy going outside the county in pursuit, if I have a deputy that just had an incident that put his safety in jeopardy, if I have an incident where I have a citizen severely injured, a murder, a major assault crime, I want to know that,” Wehr said. “I don't care if it's two in the morning, as the sheriff, I want to know that because I want to be able to get that notification to have the opportunity to respond to that scene to be the most trained and experienced law enforcement entity in the county to be able to review that scene and make the best decisions for our law enforcement and for the county's liability as well.” 

Because Wehr retired only a few years ago, he remains within the window to test out of the four-month POST academy. He said he expects to be able to do so. 

Travis Skinner, who previously served as interim sheriff, will resume his role as undersheriff — a decision Wehr said he both values and appreciates. 

“Undersheriff Skinner has been a good placeholder, as best as he can, with the chaos he’s been in and I’m happy he’s going to stay on as undersheriff,” Wehr said. “I think we’ll be a good team.” 

With Skinner remaining in leadership, Wehr said he hopes for a smooth transition. 

“I’m not looking to go in there like a bull in a China shop,” he said. “Unless there’s something there that we could just be doing better, my intent is not to go over there and toss out the apple cart.” 

Wehr said another immediate concern is the sheriff’s office service agreement with Wallace. The city pays for a dedicated number of patrol hours and has expressed frustration over the department’s failure to meet that obligation. 

“I am concerned where Wallace has been feeling like they haven’t been getting the service they believed they contracted with the sheriff’s department for,” Wehr said. “That’s not right to me. I plan on meeting with them and making sure they’re getting what they deserve from the sheriff’s department.” 

During Eddy’s brief tenure as sheriff, a reported lack of communication between the office and local police chiefs led the chiefs from Kellogg, Pinehurst and Osburn to issue a letter of no confidence. Wehr said rebuilding those relationships will be a priority. 

“I need to reach out to the chiefs as soon as possible,” Wehr said. “Their say is important in this county. They represent whole communities that need to be heard as well.” 

Despite the challenges ahead, Wehr said he feels fortunate to serve in a community where law enforcement is widely supported and valued. 

Before his appointment, Wehr was one of three Republican candidates for the May Primary Election, along with Rice and Pinehurst Police Chief John Richter. Wehr will serve in his new role, regardless of the election results, until January.