Sheriff Richard D. Wiles was raised and educated in El Paso, graduating from Andress High School in 1979. Sheriff Wiles joined the El Paso Police Department in 1982 and rose quickly to leadership positions serving as a Patrol Officer, Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief, Interim Chief of Police, and was appointed Chief of Police in 2004. In December of 2007, Sheriff Wiles retired from the Police Department to run for El Paso County Sheriff and after being elected, took office in January of 2009.

Sheriff Wiles was named Andress High School's Outstanding-Ex in 2004 and he attended the University of Texas at El Paso where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 1995. He attended and graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Academy, the National Executive Institute, and the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas. Sheriff Wiles subsequently pursued and earned a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Sul Ross State University in 2001 where he was also named Outstanding Criminal Justice Graduate Student.

Sheriff Wiles has taught at the El Paso Community College, Park University, and still instructs at the University of Texas at El Paso. Sheriff Wiles has extensive experience in the area of local law enforcement and immigration, as well as border security. As a result, his input is sought out at both the State and Federal levels.