Topeka's Top "20 Under 40" Justin Vest

Justin oversees the development and facilitation of all training activities that the sheriff's office provides to employees. He supervises the Community Services Unit and helps plan activities that maintain the office's involvement in community-related events. He is currently the sheriff’s office recruiter. His roles work together to ensure that the sheriff’s office is attracting quality applicants, and then taking care of them once they are hired. Justin is a certified Accreditation Manager through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. He is a member of the Kansas Sheriff’s Association and an active certified instructor of Defensive Tactics and Firearms Instruction through the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center. Justin earned his master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Washburn and is a Certified Public Manager through the University of Kansas.

Although Justin is charged with keeping the streets of Shawnee County safe, he believes his greatest impact to the community is through his work as a wrestling coach. Having grown up involved with wrestling, he wanted to mentor kids the same way he had been mentored by his own wrestling coaches. He serves as assistant wrestling coach at Shawnee Heights High School.

Justin is married to Trisha Vest and has a daughter, Addison Bo (9).

“The most important attribute that Justin exhibits is a heart the size of Texas. Justin is patient, empathetic and a servant leader amongst the youth he works with in sports. He is great at helping these youth improve not only in sports, but also as human beings.” —Chad Parks, USD 450