Sheriff Helms began his career as a Cortland County Corrections Officer in 1987.  He attended the Onondaga County Police Academy while working in the Cortland County Jail.  He graduated from the Police Academy in 1990 and began working for the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office as a part time county police officer.  Sheriff Helms left Corrections in the early 1990’s and took a job as a patrol officer with the Ithaca College Campus Safety Division.  While working for Ithaca College, he continued his law enforcement career by serving part time as a police officer with both the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office and the Village of Groton Police Department.    

 In 1994, Sheriff Helms joined the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office as a full time road patrol officer.  From there he steadily rose through the ranks of Corporal, Sergeant, Investigator / Sergeant, Road Patrol Lieutenant, until he reached the rank of Captain.

Sheriff Helms is a 2009 graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) National Academy.  The National Academy is located in Quantico Virginia and consists of 10 weeks of a range of leadership and specialized training.

In 2013, Sheriff Helms retired from the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office and became the Chief of Police for the Village of Homer Police Department.  He worked as the Police Chief through the end of the year in 2015.

In November 2015, Sheriff Helms was elected Cortland County Sheriff.  He took office on January 1, 2016.