Undersheriff Rick Mellott is a 30 year veteran of the Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office. He started his employment in March, 1974 in the old County Jail. From there, he was transferred to the dispatch office for 11 months. In 1975, he went to the Road Patrol Division and attended the Kansas State Law Enforcement Academy. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1976. In 1978, he introduced the Department's first Police K-9 unit. Undersheriff Mellott used and trained dogs until 1985, in our community as well as Kansas City, Missouri, for the use in the apprehension of criminal offenders. As a result of this, many felony arrests were made, and perpetrators brought to justice. In 1979, he also took command of the Breath Alcohol Program and held that responsibility until that program was disbanded.

In 1988, he collaborated and devised a successful solution with the Kansas Department of Transportation to stop the high number of vehicle accidents occurring in certain high traffic areas within the County.

Undersheriff Mellott worked the Road Patrol Division until 1991 when the Sheriff disbanded the Patrol Division and transferred all the Patrol Deputies to the Detention Center. He worked to resolve burnout issues for officers within the Detention Center and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1992. In 1993, he was sent back to the streets to work the Wolcott area during the flood of 1993.

After the flood, he returned to Detention, and stayed there until 1997, when he was transferred to Detention Administration as Administrative Support Supervisor. He was responsible for the recruiting and hiring of all officers within the department. In 1999, he was promoted to Captain for a brief spell, until his appointment as Undersheriff in September of that same year.