Sheriff Bill Leeper
Nassau County Sheriff's Office
77151 Citizens Circle
Yulee Florida 32097
Bill grew up in Fernandina Beach, Florida. He spent over 35 years with the Florida Highway Patrol and served as a city commissioner and two-term mayor of Fernandina Beach before being elected sheriff of Nassau County in 2012. He was re-elected Sheriff in 2016 and again in 2020 and is presently serving his third term in office.
Bill holds an Associate of Science Degree from Vincennes University, an Associate of Arts Degree from Florida Community College at Jacksonville and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Columbia College-Missouri. Bill is also a graduate of the University of Louisville’s Southern Police Institute, Northwestern University’s Senior Management Leadership Program, and the FBI National Academy Session 260.
Bill was drafted in 1971 by the New York Mets after his senior year at Fernandina Beach High School and played professional minor league baseball within their organization. Bill was selected by the Fernandina Beach News-Leader as one of Nassau County’s “Top 50 Athletes” between the years 1949 to 1999 and he was inducted into the inaugural class of the Fernandina Beach High School Hall of Fame in 2006.
While Bill was with the Florida Highway Patrol he was selected as the Florida Department of Transportation’s State Traffic Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for 1995; the Florida Public Information Officer’s Association PIO of the Year in 2008; the International association of Chiefs of Police J. Stannard Baker Award for Outstanding Achievements in Highway Safety for 2009; and was a technical-advisor and actor for the TV shows “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol”, “Cold Case”, and “America’s Most Wanted.” Bill is also the author of the traffic safety book “”Highway of Horror.”
Bill was selected by his peers as Nassau County’s “Outstanding Elected Official” for 2014. He is an active member of his community and has served on the board of directors of several non-profit organizations locally, statewide and nationally. Bill was honored by the Boy Scouts of America with their 2018 Distinguished Citizen Award. He was recognized by the National Alliance on Mental Health of Nassau County for advocacy efforts on behalf of individuals with mental illness. He was presented the NAACP Nassau County Branch “Community Service Award” in 2018.
Bill currently serves on the Columbia College Alumni Association Advisory Board and is a Past President and a 2010 recipient of the Professional Achievement Award. He serves on the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches Board of Directors and is a former Chair. He serves on the Florida Sheriffs Association Board of Directors and is a former Vice-Chair and currently serves as the Florida Sheriffs Association Treasurer.
Bill resides in Fernandina Beach with his wife Emma (a retired nurse) where they have owned & operated a small retail business on Centre Street since 1984. They have two adult children Jordan and Chelsea and two granddaughters Harper and Memphis Moore.
Bill holds an Associate of Science Degree from Vincennes University, an Associate of Arts Degree from Florida Community College at Jacksonville and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Columbia College-Missouri. Bill is also a graduate of the University of Louisville’s Southern Police Institute, Northwestern University’s Senior Management Leadership Program, and the FBI National Academy Session 260.
Bill was drafted in 1971 by the New York Mets after his senior year at Fernandina Beach High School and played professional minor league baseball within their organization. Bill was selected by the Fernandina Beach News-Leader as one of Nassau County’s “Top 50 Athletes” between the years 1949 to 1999 and he was inducted into the inaugural class of the Fernandina Beach High School Hall of Fame in 2006.
While Bill was with the Florida Highway Patrol he was selected as the Florida Department of Transportation’s State Traffic Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for 1995; the Florida Public Information Officer’s Association PIO of the Year in 2008; the International association of Chiefs of Police J. Stannard Baker Award for Outstanding Achievements in Highway Safety for 2009; and was a technical-advisor and actor for the TV shows “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol”, “Cold Case”, and “America’s Most Wanted.” Bill is also the author of the traffic safety book “”Highway of Horror.”
Bill was selected by his peers as Nassau County’s “Outstanding Elected Official” for 2014. He is an active member of his community and has served on the board of directors of several non-profit organizations locally, statewide and nationally. Bill was honored by the Boy Scouts of America with their 2018 Distinguished Citizen Award. He was recognized by the National Alliance on Mental Health of Nassau County for advocacy efforts on behalf of individuals with mental illness. He was presented the NAACP Nassau County Branch “Community Service Award” in 2018.
Bill currently serves on the Columbia College Alumni Association Advisory Board and is a Past President and a 2010 recipient of the Professional Achievement Award. He serves on the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches Board of Directors and is a former Chair. He serves on the Florida Sheriffs Association Board of Directors and is a former Vice-Chair and currently serves as the Florida Sheriffs Association Treasurer.
Bill resides in Fernandina Beach with his wife Emma (a retired nurse) where they have owned & operated a small retail business on Centre Street since 1984. They have two adult children Jordan and Chelsea and two granddaughters Harper and Memphis Moore.