John R. Armer is a third generation Gila County Native, born in Globe to parents Ben G., and Helen Armer. He graduated from Globe High School in 1963 and married Claudia Sue Grace (also a 1963 graduate of Globe High School) one year later. They have two children, Ben and Heather, and two grandchildren, Kelton and Connor. Sheriff Armer graduated from the University of Arizona in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Administration. In 1974 he graduated from the Northwestern University Traffic Institutes Nine Month Traffic Police Administration Course in Evanston, Illinois, and in 2001 graduated from the National Sheriffs Institute.

Sheriff Armer began his career in Law Enforcement joining the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in 1968. He retired from that office in 1989 with the rank of Major. In 1977 Sheriff Armer was selected as the Outstanding Young Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by the Arizona Jaycees. During his career with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Armer served in virtually every aspect of the Sheriff’s duties.

In 1992 Sheriff Armer first entered politics running for Maricopa County Sheriff, he lost that race to Republican Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who remains in that position to the present time. Sheriff Armer was appointed in 1995 to fill the Chief of Police position in Globe Where he remained until the end of 2000 when he was elected the Sheriff of gila County. He is the second Armer to hold that position. In 1917-1918 his Great Uncle Tom Armer was elected to one two-year term.

Sheriff Armer has a strong belief that our public safety efforts are not accomplished alone but in partnership with the community in which we live and raise our family. To this end he is continually encouraging the staff at the Sheriff’s Office to solicit involvement from the community and to personally get involved in community affairs. Sheriff Armer is currently the President of the Globe Rotary Club and the President of The Arizona Sheriff’s Association. He sits as a member of the Rules Revision Committee For the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, and is involved on a statewide leveling all areas that potentially have local impact on community and public safety issues.

In the past four years under Sheriff Armers direction the Gila County Sheriff’s Office has initiated or renewed efforts in the following programs:

• Enhanced Search and Rescue Posse’s with a building and equipment of their own
• A Reserve Posse program to augment regularly paid full time staff
• A new youth leadership program that sends youth each summer to Camp Anytown in Prescott.
• An expanded Explorer Program
• An expanded School resource Program that places Deputy Sheriff’s in the Hayden Winkelman, Miami, Tonto Basin, Young, and Pine Schools.
• Child fingerprint and identification services throughout the County
• Senior targeted services through the TRIAD Program
• Increased emphasis on Drug Investigations/Enforcements throughout Gila County
• New emphasis on drug interdiction on highways