William King Courtesy Photo
ALFRED – Voters re-elected York County Sheriff William L. King for a third four-year term.
King, a Democrat, earned 57,504 votes to 43,842 votes earned by his Republican opponent, retired sheriff’s deputy Roger Hicks, in unofficial totals from York County’s 29 municipalities.
“I’m honored that the voters of York County have entrusted me again to serve another four years as their sheriff,” said King. “I can’t wait to continue moving us forward.”
King, 68, was first elected sheriff in 2014 and began working at the sheriff’s office in 2010. He began his law enforcement career in Portland, worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and retired from the U.S. Department of Justice
In a prior interview, King, whose new term begins Jan. 1, said he will continue focusing on serious crimes and traffic, addressing the opioid crisis, working to bring the corrections division to full staff – several officers have recently been hired – and ensure wellness and resilience for the workforce.
York County Sheriff’s Office operates York County Jail, provides law enforcement to 14 rural towns without police departments and is the primary provider for nine of them. The office provides contract deputies to several of the communities and maintains a county-wide civil process division.
It was King’s second matchup with Hicks, who served 25 years with the department, retiring as a sergeant.
King noted York County Jail initiated a Medication Assisted Treatment program serving 80 residents who have substance use disorders. It is the largest county jail program of its kind in Maine – and he said he is looking forward to the new initiatives York County commissioners have embarked upon, including a new 58-bed recovery center and a first responder training facility.
King expressed his gratitude to the voters for his win. “I won’t let them down,” he said.
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