Dennis Lemma

Biography

In 2017, Dennis Lemma was elected Seminole County’s 10th Sheriff. As the County’s chief law enforcement officer, Sheriff Lemma leads a workforce of more than 1,400 employees and manages a $145 million budget.

In 1992, Sheriff Lemma began his career as a correctional officer with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.  He later became a deputy sheriff and, over the course of 27 years, has worked in virtually every position within the agency, serving as the Sheriff’s Office primary spokesperson and receiving promotions from the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant, captain, major and chief deputy prior to becoming Sheriff.

In January 2019, Attorney General Ashley Moody named Sheriff Dennis Lemma chair of her Transition Advisory Committee Working Group on Opioid Abuse. In August 2019, he was appointed by Attorney General Ashley Moody to the Statewide Task Force on Opioid Abuse. Sheriff Lemma will work closely with Attorney General-elect Moody and others, gathering information related to the best practices to stop the influx of deadly opioids, treat addiction, raise awareness and reduce the death toll of this crisis claiming 17 lives a day in Florida.

In July 2019, First Lady Casey DeSantis announced the formation of a drug abuse prevention panel with Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma to serve as chair. The focus of the panel will be to discuss and determine best practices and innovative solutions to combat drug abuse throughout the state, specifically as it pertains to Florida’s youth.

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and graduate of the FBI Academy, Sheriff Lemma holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in administrative leadership.  He and his wife, Diana, have two wonderful sons, Dylan and Dayne.