Lt. Rick Bohling Named Chief Deputy of Jerome County Sheriff’s Office in Idaho
Veteran Officer Brings Two Decades of Law Enforcement Experience to New Role
JEROME, Idaho — Lt. Rick Bohling has been named chief deputy at the Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, bringing more than 20 years of law enforcement experience to one of the Magic Valley’s top law enforcement positions.
Jerome County Sheriff Gary Taylor made the announcement on Tuesday, according to the Times-News. The promotion elevates Bohling — a familiar face within the regional law enforcement community — to the second-highest position in the county’s sheriff’s office.
Bohling’s career in public safety spans two decades and reflects a steady progression through several agencies in southern Idaho and the broader region. He began his career in December 2002 as a detention deputy at the county jail before being hired by the Jerome Police Department in 2003. His early experience in corrections and municipal policing provided a foundation that has carried him through a long and varied career in uniform.
Bohling later transferred to the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, where he served as the resident deputy covering the Pine and Featherville area until 2012. The assignment required the kind of self-reliance and community-centered policing that rural Idaho law enforcement demands — skills that would continue to shape his professional development.
A Return to Jerome County and a Path to Leadership
After a period working in the private sector, Bohling said the pull of law enforcement proved too strong. He returned to the Jerome County Sheriff’s Office in 2016 as a patrol and K-9 deputy — a role that combined two of the most demanding specialties in local law enforcement. A photo released by the sheriff’s office shows Bohling alongside a K-9 partner, underscoring the hands-on nature of his service.
His return to Jerome County marked the beginning of a renewed climb through the ranks. On Aug. 1, 2022, Bohling was promoted to patrol lieutenant, a position that placed him in a supervisory role over daily operations and front-line deputies. That experience as a lieutenant — managing personnel, coordinating patrol activities, and maintaining departmental standards — appears to have positioned him directly for the chief deputy role he now holds.
Bohling resides in Jerome County with his wife, Jan. The couple has a daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter who also live in the Magic Valley, deepening his ties to the community he now helps protect at a senior leadership level.
Law enforcement appointments like this one reflect the value of promoting from within — a practice that rewards institutional knowledge, community familiarity, and demonstrated performance over time. Bohling’s career path, which includes stints in detention, municipal policing, rural sheriff’s work, K-9 operations, and supervisory patrol duty, represents nearly the full spectrum of local law enforcement experience.
The Jerome County Sheriff’s Office serves a growing agricultural and commercial community in the heart of the Magic Valley. As the region continues to expand — with new businesses eyeing the Twin Falls and Jerome corridor — the demands on county law enforcement are expected to grow alongside it. Having experienced leadership in place at the chief deputy level gives the sheriff’s office stability as it meets those challenges.
Public safety remains a top priority across Twin Falls County and the surrounding area. Residents looking for broader coverage of law enforcement news in the region can follow recent developments, including a Twin Falls officer-involved shooting in which a suspect was killed after a stabbing and a child sexual abuse material investigation following a report from Google, both of which highlight the active work being carried out by local agencies throughout Magic Valley.
What Comes Next
Bohling’s transition into the chief deputy role is expected to take effect immediately following Sheriff Taylor’s announcement. No additional information about changes to department staffing or structure was released as of press time. The Jerome County Sheriff’s Office has not indicated any further personnel announcements. Residents seeking more information can contact the Jerome County Sheriff’s Office directly. For statewide public safety news, visit Idaho News or the Idaho News Network.