News Release

Frederick J. Sumpter

FULTON COUNTY — Frederick J. Sumpter, Rochester, has announced his intention to file his candidacy for Fulton County Sheriff on the Republican ballot.

He is campaigning for fiscal responsibility, improved working relationship with business partners, providing additional patrols, targeting major crimes including elderly and child abuse, and wants to increase public awareness for the need of reflective vests. Sumpter states he is conservative, dedicated and experienced.

He is a lifelong resident of Fulton County and is married to Jackie Sumpter, who is also a life long member of the community.

Sumpter retired from the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office Investigation Section in October 2020 after 25 years of service. From November 2005 to September 2013, he served as the northern assistant chief.

He started his police career with the Rochester Police Department in May 1979 and left in May 1989. He then served as a part-time officer with the Ligonier Police Department from July 1999 to July 2019, retiring after 20 years of service.

He graduated from Rochester High School in 1975 and attended Indiana University-Kokomo. He served with the U.S. Navy in 1975 and was honorably discharged.

Sumpter’s experience includes studying various law enforcement and fire related courses at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, Plainfield; National Fire Academy, Emmitssburg, Md.; Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Glynco, Ga.; Massachusetts State Police Academy, New Braintree, Ma.; and Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Ky. He is certified as an expert witness for Federal Court, South Bend, in arson/postal fraud and has also provided testimony in five grand jury cases relating to fatal fires.

Over his career he has instructed 23 fire investigator 1 courses and 25 basic fire investigated courses. He has also been a guest instructor at various colleges, universities, police academies and conferences relating to law enforcement. He has also provided instruction at Logansport Police Department and Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department for arson investigation and fire scene search and seizure.

Sumpter has written and published several documents and was awarded the North District Investigator of the Year in 2001 by the state fire marshal’s office; Received the Top Gun Award in 2002, from the state fire marshal’s office and the Fire Investigator of the Year Award in 2005 by the Indiana Chapter of International Association of Arson Investigators.

Sumpter was the 15th person certified internationally as a fire investigator in the state and one of three certified by testing in 1990. He is currently recertified until 2025. He has served as the Indiana Chapter President of the International Association of Arson Investigators and chapter director of the IAAI-Certified Fire Investigator Program.

He has also worked with several local and state agencies on various cases, assisted ATF, FBI, ICE, postal inspectors, Office of the Inspector General (Medicare Fraud) and Office of Special Investigations on federal cases.