MEDIA RELEASE
Contact: Sgt Chris Hewitt
Release Date: 08/27/13
Release Number: 1
Sheriff Kuntz Swears in Five of his Newest Employees
(San Andreas, CA) On 07/30/13 Sheriff Gary Kuntz swore in two of his office’s newest members, Calaveras Sheriff’s Corrections Officer Keith Vincent and Calaveras Deputy Sheriff James Shackelford. On August 27, 2013 he swore in an additional deputy sheriff, Chris Kofford, and two corrections officers, Nichole Nelson and Luis Ramos.
Corrections Officer Keith Vincent attended college in the State of Georgia, and has been residing in Calaveras County for ten years. It has been a long-term goal for him to work in the law enforcement field. He will undergo several months of training in the Calaveras County Jail.
Corrections Officer Nichole Nelson, originally from Sunol, California, has been a resident of Calaveras County for the past five years. She is working towards her college degree in Criminal Justice. She previously served two years as a Police Explorer for the Pleasanton Police Department. As part of her corrections training she will attend the correctional officer’s academy.
Corrections Officer Luis Ramos was previously employed by the Calaveras County Jail as a corrections officer, and after a year-long sabbatical, returned to continue his service. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, and prior to coming to Calaveras County worked as a volunteer with the Sacramento County Probation Department. He also has experience in the field of juvenile corrections where he worked as a drill instructor at a Washington State juvenile offender basic training camp. After high school he joined and served in the United States Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007.
Deputy Sheriff James Shackelford is from Modesto, CA where he has worked for the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office for the past six years in the patrol and corrections divisions. In 2007 he graduated from the Stanislaus County Regional Training Center Law Enforcement Academy. He has an Associates of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. Deputy Shackelford will undergo 16 weeks of intensive training in the deputy sheriff field training program.
Deputy Sheriff Chris Kofford was born and raised in Redding, California, and has recently relocated to Calaveras County. He attended the Butte College law enforcement academy and has his Associates of Science degree in Criminal Justice. He too will undergo 16 weeks of training in the field training program in preparation to become a qualified solo patrol deputy.
