Jeff Salters

 "Don't tell me how to raise my son."

Sheriff Jeff Salters was an incidental character who appeared in Middle Man.

Background
A revered Indiana police officer, Salters made a triumphant escalation to the rank of Sheriff. However, his life at home wasn't as glorious: he abused his wife and his son Chris, up to a point where the former eventually abandoned him and Chris at some unknown point. This caused Salters to focus all of the abuse on Chris, shaping him into an extremely volatile person as a result. When Chris formed a record of assault and drug violation, Salters managed to get it erased so it wouldn't have any significant effect on Chris's future. At some point prior to Middle Man, Chris befriended Michael Kosina, who was, unbeknowst to him, a serial rapist and killer, and the two of them participated in a barfight that Michael started. The two of them then began abducting exotic dancers and have sex with them, without Salters's knowledge.

Middle Man
Eventually, Salters managed to trace a connection between the victims when the third exotic dancer was found murdered at Michael's hands and summoned the BAU. He got off to a bad start with the BAU: before meeting him, Hotch found him disciplining an inferior; he was domineering and somewhat uncooperative towards the team; and he, overall, proved to be a large pain. After the body of Scott Kagan was found, Hotch, Rossi, and Prentiss find out from Garcia after Chris's completely empty criminal record and Hotch confronts Salters, the two of them having an argument as a result, with Hotch winning when he tells Salters that in no time Chris and the pack's latest captive, Stephanie Wilson, will be found murdered. The BAU and local police shortly pinpoint Michael's address and arrive to find Chris and Michael, Chris pointing a gun at them and Michael holding Stephanie at gunpoint. Salters unsuccessfully tries to convince Chris into standing down before Prentiss tells Chris about Michael's previous murders, which Garcia managed to discover, forcing Michael to attempt to kill Chris. However, he is gunned down, allowing Stephanie to escape. Not wanting to go back to jail, Chris attempts to commit suicide, but Salters shoots him non-fatally in the arm to prevent him from doing so, telling him, "I had to, son." Salters is last seen musing about his son's status as a killer and being comforted by Hotch, who tells him that the both of them can make amends. It is presumed that Salters and Chris managed to put aside their differences afterwards.

Appearances

 * Season Six
 * Middle Man