The Ottawa County Democratic Central Committee has selected Steve Levorchick to the post of county sheriff.

Levorchick, a former captain in the sheriff’s department, will fill the remaining term of Bob Bratton, who resigned to become the police chief in the Village of Genoa.

The committee, by a unanimous voice vote Thursday night, chose Levorchick, said Dan Laity, who chairs the county Democratic party.

Another candidate, Randy Riedmaier, a former chief deputy in the sheriff’s department, withdrew his application.

Laity said he read Riedmaier’s withdrawal letter prior to the vote.

A third candidate didn’t meet residency requirements, he said.

Levorchick had retired from the department a little more than a year ago. Riedmaier retired last week after turning in his paperwork to be considered as Bratton’s replacement, according to Jim Sass, a county commissioner.

The commissioners had named Levorchick to be acting sheriff during their meeting Sept. 22, Sass said.

The commissioner said Levorchick had submitted a letter stating his interest in the interim position while the central committee decision was pending.

Levorchick is currently employed at Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station where he works as a firearms instructor in the security department.

“I will tell you I have had aspirations to be the sheriff for years,” Levorchick said prior to the committee meeting.

He said his key strengths are his ability to talk easily with others, to lead by example, and his passion for law enforcement.
“I love working with the people in this department,” he said.

Levorchick was also a member of the county dive team and SWAT team.

Riedmaier, a Port Clinton High School graduate, began working for the sheriff’s office in June 1977 as a dispatcher.

About one and half years later, he was transferred to the road division and later promoted to the rank of sergeant. He then served 11 years in the detective’s bureau. In January 2005, Bratton promoted him to chief deputy.

Laity said the committee was pleased to have well qualified persons to consider for the remaining term, which runs through 2012.

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