William Snyder

William D. Snyder (born September 6, 1952) is an American politician and former law enforcement officer who served as the sheriff of Martin County, Florida from 2013 to 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the House of Representatives from 2006 to 2012.

He is the father of John Snyder.

Early life and career He earned his Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice in 1976 from Miami-Dade Community College. He graduated from the FBI Academy at the University of Virginia in 1999 and Florida Gulf Coast University in 2010.

Snyder worked as a police officer at the Miami-Dade Police Department (formerly Metro-Dade) for 20-years.

In 1994, he joined the Martin County Sheriff's Office as a captain and chief criminal investigator. Snyder was soon promoted to major and became the Director of Law Enforcement for the entire agency.

Political career In 2006, Snyder was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, and re-elected both in 2008 and 2010. As a representative, he served on the Florida House Appropriations, Criminal & Civil Justice, and Finance & Tax Committees during his tenure. He was elected chairman of both the Judiciary Committee and the Criminal & Civil Justice Committee.

In 2012, Snyder was elected as the 8th sheriff of Martin County, Florida, and subsequently re-elected in 2016 and 2020.

In 2024, Snyder announced he would not seek re-election and would retire upon completing his current term. He was succeeded by his chief deputy and fellow Republican, John Budensiek.