Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton has been chosen as Sheriff of the Year by the Kansas Sheriffs Association.
Walton and Wallace County Sheriff Larry Townsend are sharing the 2016 award, according to a statement issued by the association.
Walton was nominated in part for his handling of the mass shooting that occurred at Excel Industries in Hesston on Feb. 25. Excel employee Cedric Ford shot 17 people, three fatally, before being shot to death by Hesston Police Chief Doug Schroeder.
In nominating Walton for the award, Pratt County Sheriff Vernon Chinn said that he “conducted himself in the highest traditions of a Kansas sheriff and lawman, exhibiting extreme courage and professionalism in the face of extreme danger and tremendous challenges.”
Stan Finger: 316-268-6437, @StanFinger