Van Horn Named Clayton County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year

The Clayton County Law Enforcement Association is recognizing Eric Van Horn as their 2025 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.

In a Facebook post, the Clayton County Sheriff's Office says "Deputy Van Horn is a dedicated professional who consistently goes above and beyond in serving the citizens of Clayton County. His hard work, commitment, and service to our community do not go unnoticed, and we are proud to have him as part of the Sheriff’s Office team. Congratulations, Deputy Van Horn!"

Not only is Van Horn a Deputy with the Sheriff's Department, but he also serves as the Garnavillo Police Chief.

Statement from CCLEA President Adam Deshaw:

“On January 28th, 2026, the Clayton County Law Enforcement Association (CCLEA) held a business meeting/training which included the announcement of the 2025 Officer of the Year award. Police Officer Levi Keppler (Strawberry Point Police Department), Reserve Deputy/Officer Macey Barnhart (Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, Garnavillo Police Department, and Mar-Mac Police Department), and Deputy/Police Chief Eric Van Horn (Clayton County Sheriff’s Office and Garnavillo Police Department) were nominated by their peers for the award. The CCLEA members had the difficult task of selecting one of these individuals for the award. All three candidates were equally deserving of the award. Deputy/Police Chief Eric Vanhorn was chosen as the 2025 Officer of the Year. The nomination noted Eric’s leadership, compassion, selflessness, unwavering commitment and dedication which make him a role model for all officers to strive for. We would like to congratulate Eric for being selected as the 2025 Officer of the Year and Macey and Levi for their dedications and contributions.”