Susan Pamerleau

Susan Lewellyn Pamerleau (born July 29, 1946) is a retired United States Air Force major general who served from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2016, as the Republican sheriff of Bexar County, Texas.

She is the United States Marshal for the Western District of Texas.

Pamerleau is the daughter of Disciples of Christ minister Dr. Truce V. Lewellyn (of Walnut Cove, North Carolina) and the late Mary Nelle [nee Montgomery] Lewellyn (of Knoxville, Tennessee).

Pamerleau received a BA degree in sociology from the University of Wyoming at Laramie in 1968 and an M.P.A. from Golden Gate University in 1977.

In 1978, after first seeking marriage counseling help, Pamerleau left her abusive husband, Ben, after a marriage of seven years.

Following the separation, Ben took his own life.

Pamerleau served in the United States Air Force for 32 years, being promoted to brigadier general in 1994 and to major general in 1997.

Her first assignment as a general officer in the United States Air Force was as commandant of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Her next assignment was as the Commander of the Air Force Personnel Center, followed by her last assignment at Headquarters Air Force in The Pentagon as the director, Personnel Force Programs.

After retiring from the Air Force in September 2000, Pamerleau worked at USAA, first as vice president of Membership Development; and later as senior vice president of Specialized Operations & International.

During her 2012 campaign, Pamerleau cited her experience as a survivor of family violence as part of what prepared her to serve as sheriff.

In addition, her focus on mental illness in the criminal justice system was personal, as she has a brother who suffered from mental illness.

In 2012 Pamerleau was elected the first woman sheriff in the history of Bexar County, Texas.

Citing technology and policy issues that were "30 years behind", Pamerleau conducted a top-to-bottom review of the sheriff's office and began implementing policies to modernize the office.

Improvements included digital record keeping, stab-vests for detention officers, and improved communications within the jail.

Mental health advocate and journalist, Pete Earley, has said of Bexar County's jail diversion programs "I’ve been to 48 states, five foreign countries, and I’ve testified five times before Congress, and Bexar County is known as the gold standard. [Bexar County is the] leading county in America when it comes to jail diversion and stopping the inappropriate incarceration of people who have serious illness like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder."

In the spring of 2016, the Bexar County Deputy Sheriff's Association Union called for a vote of no confidence in Pamerleau.

Of the 1,600 deputies in the department, 219 voted no confidence.

In the November 8, 2016, general election, Pamerleau narrowly lost to Democrat Javier Salazar, a San Antonio police officer who had never previously sought elected office.

Salazar received 278,102 votes (50.4 percent) to Pamerleau's 273,914 (49.6 percent).

In defeat, Pamerleau polled more votes in 2016 than she had in victory in 2012.

Shortly before Pamerleau left office, Salazar obtained a temporary restraining order from Judge John D. Gabriel which forbade Pamerleau from making personnel changes in the final days of her administration.

Another judge, Gloria Saldana, dissolved the court order in the final hours of Pamerleau's tenure of office.

U.S. President Donald Trump nominated Pamerleau to be the United States Marshal for the Western District of Texas, one of the busiest in the country, which includes the cities of San Antonio, Midland/Odessa, El Paso, Austin, and Waco.

That summer, Pamerleau faced inquiries about four suicides in the Bexar County Jail that occurred from June 28 to July 22, 2017.

The Senate confirmed her by voice vote on August 28, 2018.

Pamerleau is the first female marshal to head the 173-year-old federal court district.

Major General Pamerleau has been awarded the following awards and decorations: