Jason Futch
reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com
The Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) and the Live Oak Police Department (LOPD) recently welcomed new officers to their respective agencies. The LOPD welcomed two officers who recently graduated from the North Florida College (NFC) Law Enforcement Academy, while the SCSO welcomed a veteran School Resource Officer to it’s ranks. On Friday, Dec. 13, the LOPD announced on social media the graduations of two of their officers who recently joined the agency: Officers Thomas Kittrell and Eduardo Gamez. Both Kittrell and Gamez completed their certification requirements at the NFC Law Enforcement Academy and were honored at the NFC graduation ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 12, in Madison. During their training, Kittrell and Gamez worked alongside the LOPD to prepare for its roles. “We are proud to have you both as part of our team, and are very excited to see what your future holds at the Live Oak Police Department,” the agency said on social media. “Thank you for all your hard work, sacrifice and determination, but most of all, thank you for choosing a path to serve others and doing your part in keeping our community safe.” Meanwhile, the SCSO swore in Jay Harris as a deputy with the agency. Harris will be coming in as a School Resource Deputy (SRD), taking over from Deputy Zac Clark at Branford High School, who will be transferring to Criminal Investigations. Harris is transferring from the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, where he served as an SRD with the Lafayette County School District. “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to both Deputy Harris as he embarks on this new chapter, and to SRD Clark for his continued growth within our department,” the social media shared. On the SCSO’s social media post regarding their acquisition of Harris, people from Lafayette County shared their well-wishes, expressing that SCSO gained an exceptional deputy.