He earned his Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice in 1976 from Miami-Dade Community College.

In 1994, he joined the Martin County Sheriff's Office as a captain and chief criminal investigator.

Snyder was soon promoted to major and became the Director of Law Enforcement for the entire agency.

As a representative, he served on the Florida House Appropriations, Criminal & Civil Justice, and Finance & Tax Committees during his tenure.

In 2012, Snyder was elected as the 8th sheriff of Martin County, Florida, and subsequently re-elected in 2016 and 2020.