BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Former Buffalo Police Department Crisis Management Team Commander John Garcia has unofficially won the Republican nomination for Erie County Sheriff, despite not being the party’s endorsed candidate.
Garcia unofficially defeated Karen Healy-Case, who had received the endorsement of the Erie County Republican Party, in Tuesday’s primaries.
Garcia served with the Buffalo Police Department for 25 years, leaving the department in 2019.
In his time there, he was Commander of the Crisis Management Team and a homicide detective.
He has the endorsement of the presidents of both the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association and the Erie County Sheriff’s Police Benevolent Association.
A graduate of Grand Island High School and Buffalo State College, Garcia now seeks to assume the role vacated by Sheriff Timothy Howard when he retires at the end of this year.
Garcia, once results are official, will face the winner of Tuesday’s Democratic primary in the general election on November 2.
