Chief Sanders has over 40 years of distinguished service in law enforcement. He began his career as a police officer for the Jefferson County Police Department in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1973. In 1983, Chief Sanders joined the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Special Agent within the Louisville, Kentucky, Resident Office.

Chief Sanders was transferred to the Miami Field Division in 1988 as a Special Agent/Pilot. In 1994, Chief Sanders was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent with the Office of Aviation Support in Fort Worth, Texas, where he oversaw the training, standardization, and proficiency check rides for all DEA aviators.

In 1996, Chief Sanders was transferred to Louisville, Kentucky, as the Resident Agent in Charge. He was transferred to DEA Headquarters in 2001 and was promoted to the position of Special Assistant to the Administrator, where he served two DEA Administrators. In 2001, Chief Sanders was transferred to the Indianapolis, Indiana, District Office as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge.

Chief Sanders was promoted to the Senior Executive Service in 2002 to serve as Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Chicago Field Division. Following retirement from DEA, Chief Sanders served as Chief of Police for Jeffersontown Police Department from 2007 to 2016.

Richard W. Sanders was appointed Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, on April 1, 2016, by Governor Matt Bevin. He left the position in 2019.

Chief Sanders has a Bachelor of Science in Police Administration and a Master of Science in Justice Administration obtained from the University of Louisville.