Sheriff Ken Carpenter was born and raised in Utah.  When 19, he served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Scotland and Northern Ireland.  Living in Northern Ireland was his first introduction to living in a state plagued with terrorism and was the onus for his seeking a military and later, law enforcement career.

     After returning from his mission, he attended Utah Technical College Provo/Orem where he received an Associate’s degree in Natural Science.  He also met his wife of 40 years, Stacey Eads.  After graduating he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.  While in the Marine Corps he was selected for a commissioning program and returned to Utah to attend the University of Utah where he received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with an International Relations Certificate.

     As a commissioned officer he became a military police officer:

              His first duty station as an MP was at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where he served as a Platoon Commander, Special Reaction Team Commander, and Assistant Operations Officer.  Camp Lejeune Military Police was the fifth largest law enforcement agency in the state of North Carolina at that time.

              He then transferred to London, England where he served as Guard Officer and Training Officer for Marine Corps Security Force Company, London where his Marines provided security for “assets deemed vital to National Security”.  Here he had the opportunity of working closely with the British Diplomatic Protection Group and the New Scotland Yard Anti-Terrorism Branch.   He was in country during the Israeli Embassy, Canary Warf, and London Bridge bombings, as well as the mortar attacks on Heathrow Airport.

              After returning to the United States, he served as the Provost Marshal and Headquarters and Service Company, Company Commander at Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.  He then attended Amphibious Warfare School where he was selected for Major and transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego California where he served as Deputy Provost Marshal for Marine Corps Air Bases Western Area and as Provost Marshal, Third Marine Aircraft Wing.  He also served as Deputy Provost Marshal for Miramar Department of Public Safety.  While at Miramar he attended the 205^th Session FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

     After returning from the FBI National Academy, Major Carpenter transferred to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego where he served as Provost Marshal for MCRD San Diego and the 12^th Marine Corps Recruiting District.  While there, the 9-11 attacks took place and Major Carpenter was responsible for the security plan which allowed the Depot to safely bring 5,000 + visitors aboard the Depot for weekly graduation events, and host high visibility events such as the Finish Line for the Rock and Roll Marathon so the Commanding General could fulfill his mission of “telling the Marine Corps story and recruit future Marines”.

     Ken retired from the Marine Corps in August 2004 and went to work for Cedar City Police Department.  He served there as a patrol officer, bike patrol officer, school resource officer, and instituted active shooter training for Cedar City and other Iron County law enforcement agencies.

     Sheriff Carpenter became the Parowan City Police Chief in October 2011, where he also served as the Iron Metro SWAT team commander until May 2019.  In November 2018, Ken was elected Sheriff of Iron County and began his second term in January 2023.  He has been a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Patrol and Tactical Operations committee since 2012.  This committee has the lead on current law enforcement issues nationally and internationally.  It issues White Letters for Best Practices, Resolutions, and suggests policies to be instituted nationwide. Ken was also recently asked to represent Utah as a member of the Rocky Mountain Information Network (RMIN) Executive Committee.  He is also a member of the Utah Sheriffs Association, Western States Sheriffs Association, and National Sheriffs Association.

     He is married and has four sons, three daughters-in-law and six grandchildren.