Sheriff Gene A. Kelly has been the Sheriff of Clark County Ohio since 1987. Sheriff Kelly began his law enforcement career with the Springfield Police Division in 1972 as a police cadet. He was sworn in as a Xenia Ohio Police Officer in 1975, and returned to the Springfield Ohio Police Division in 1979. He was named Xenia Police Officer of the Year in 1977, and Springfield Police Officer of the Year in 1982. In 1988 Sheriff Kelly was the first recipient of the Law Enforcement Commendation Medal, by the Sons of the American Revolution. In 1989 Sheriff Kelly was named the "Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer for the State of Ohio." Sheriff Kelly holds the distinction of having been named Police Officer of the Year from three different law enforcement agencies. Sheriff Kelly received his Associate of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Clark State Community College, a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Antioch University in Human Services Administration and a Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Xavier University. Sheriff Kelly is a graduate of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy, where he also serves as an Adjunct Faculty member, the Springfield, Ohio leadership academy, and was in the first class of Leadership for the 21st century at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.