EDUCATION

EXPERIENCE

2021 – 2024 Howell County Sheriff’s Office

As the Sheriff of Howell County Missouri, I exercised direct and indirect supervision over commissioned and non-commissioned personnel. Responsibilities and duties included, but are not limited to, the following;

• Planned, organized and directed the activities of the Sheriff's Office in the maintenance of law and order within the county.

• In consultation with the County Commissioners and County Judicial Officials, assured that the office has adequate resources to fulfill its mission through proper budget planning and execution, personnel selection, and training and development.

• Ensured compliance with legislative, regulatory and judicial mandates, regulations and professional standards.

• Prepared and presented reports accordingly; provided technical and professional advice and recommendations related to levels of service and other related matters; coordinated special studies on a variety of complex problems which require a high degree of technical competence and political awareness.

• Assured positive public relations and effective working relationships are maintained by the office with the general public, other governmental agencies, the County Commissioners, County Judicial Officials, and the media.

• Responsible for strategic and operational leadership and management of twenty-two (22) lead, senior and junior level supervisors, which encompassed forty (40) Law Enforcement Officers and twenty-seven (27) Civilians.

• Supervised maintenance, administrative matters, logistics, and counseling records; ensured the serviceability of equipment within a law enforcement organization budget over $6,400,000.

• Applied, awarded, and managed in excess of three (3) million dollars of State and Federally funded grants.

• Through grant funding developed and implemented a Crisis Intervention Program Specialist and community resource professional.  This position was made with three key areas of focus including peer support for all area law enforcement personnel, following up with community members whom have traditionally been seen as having “fallen through the cracks” and interfacing with Ozarks Healthcare and other behavioral health resources as it related to community policing, to include drug treatment diversion.  Development and program management related to officer wellness and resiliency.  Providing follow-up support to individuals whom law enforcement had prior interactions pertaining to mental health, to include jail navigator.  A liaison between the community’s mental/behavioral health resources and the Sheriff’s Office assisting in better communication and cohesion among the area’s resources.

• A snapshot of accomplishments within the tenure at the Howell County Sheriff’s Office; successfully spearheaded a campaign for a county law enforcement tax, established a scalable pay chart matrix, increased employee salaries by 41%, increased employee strength by 12%, established an uniformed appearance for employees and vehicles, established 100% issued uniforms and equipment, established 100% issued service pistols and carbines, significantly modernized portable and mobile communications, established in-car laptops, established a supply and maintenance program, established 6 patrol zones, established 3 substations, established an annual physical fitness test program, established a tactical organizational structure within the S.W.A.T. unit, established a standardized uniformed appearance to include tactical load plans for individuals and mobile platforms within the S.W.A.T. unit, established an annual tactical training glide-path in correlation with a Mission Essential Task List for the S.W.A.T. unit, established an operations process with records retention for hasty and deliberate missions within the S.W.A.T. unit, established a Junior Supervisor professional development course, established multiple records management systems throughout the Sheriff’s Office, standardized over 200 fillable forms, standardized over 12 handbooks, standardized over 20 Graphic Training Aids, established an annual per capita report to identify employee strength in correlation with federal data, established the Sheriff’s Office website and social media platforms and established over 100 occupational profiles for applicants and employees in correlation with the State and Federal standards.  Transformed the operational training budget within the Sheriff’s Office that supported any requested training related to job duty, proficiency, and over all knowledge to mitigate liabilities.

2003 – 2020 Missouri State Highway Patrol

• As a Narcotics Investigator with the South-Central Drug Task Force, I was responsible for enforcing narcotic laws by conducting complex investigations of groups and individuals, who use, manufacture, sell or distribute controlled substances, and prescription-only drugs. Utilized both covert and overt investigation tactics to solve numerous felony crimes with a narcotics nexus.  Coordinated with special units to investigate and process hazardous clandestine labs. I also collaborated with multi-agency task forces that include federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors. Furthermore, I was involved in community outreach programs in order to educate the public about the dangers of narcotics, associated crimes, and provide instructions to the public on how to identify and report suspected narcotics/criminal related activity.

1999 – 2003 Howell County Sheriff’s Office

• Patrol Officer with a State of Missouri Class-A license who professionally maintained order and protected life and property by enforcing local, state, and federal laws. Performed a combination of the following duties: patrolled a specific area; directed traffic; issued traffic summonses; investigated accidents; apprehended and arrested suspects and served legal processes of courts.

• Possesses knowledge in public safety and security, law and government, English language and psychology.  Demonstrated skills in active listening, critical thinking, speaking and social perceptiveness.  Possesses the abilities in problem sensitivity, problem solving through; inductive reasoning, analogical reasoning, deductive reasoning, abductive reasoning and oral comprehension and expression.

• Performed highly technical skills with an array of Information Technologies such as database user interface and query software, electronic mail software, graphics or photographic imaging software, map creation software and clerical software such as Microsoft Office.

• Maintains the continuing education required to retain a state license for this position which includes 24 hours annually in the following core areas: Interpersonal Perspectives, Legal Studies, Technical Studies and Skill Development.

NOTABLE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

*In addition to, over 3,000 hours of training in various disciplines

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Department of Public Safety

1 – Award of SWAT Certification

1 – Award of Instructor Certification

1 – Award of Hazardous Materials Certification

5 – Award of Service

LETTERS OF RECOGNITION

Received various letters of recognition in the following area(s);

• Public Service

• Investigatory Tenacity

• Case Management

• Community Outreach

CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND BOARDS

• Child Advocacy Center Stakeholder

• Crisis Intervention Team-Board Co-Chair

• Fight Crimes: Invest in kids Council Member

• Howell County Community Coalition

• Veterans Intervention Team – Founded

• Howell County Suicide Prevention Network

• Missouri Sheriff’s Association Training Committee

• Howell County Treatment Court Law Enforcement Representative

• Moody Volunteer Fire Department-Board President

• Salutes Thrift Store and Shelter Board Member

• South Central Drug Task Force Board Member

• Southern Missouri Community Health Center Board of Directors

• Vision Group Member (group of leaders with mission to enhance quality of life for West Plains and surrounding area.

• Member of Genesis Church

• Member of the National Sheriff’s Association

• Member of Police Chiefs Association

• Member of the National Rifle Association

• Life time member of Missouri Cattlemen’s Association

• Life time alumni of Future Farmers of America