August 4, 2016 - Shelby County Sheriff Willis Blackwell announces changes in officer rank at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO).
DJ Dickerson was recently named Chief Deputy.
Dickerson has been in law enforcement for 12 years. He began his career with the San Augustine Police Department in 2004 as a patrol officer until 2006. Chief Dickerson then went to work with the Center Police Department until 2011 where he obtained the rank of patrol sergeant. In August 2011, he began working with the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office as an investigator until October 2011. He started working with the SCSO in October 2011 as a patrol deputy. In 2013, he was promoted to the Criminal Investigation Division and earned the rank as Lieutenant Investigator in May 2016.
Chief Dickerson holds an advanced peace officer certification. He is a certified TCOLE instructor; Taser Instructor; and has advanced special training in homicide investigation and interviewing and interrogation. He has been a certified EMT since 2001.
Dickerson filled the vacated position of former Chief Deputy Shad Sparks who went to work for Center ISD.
Kevin Windham will now serve as Lieutenant Investigator in the Criminal Investigation Division. Windham began working at the SCSO in 2014 as an investigator.
Prior to working at the SCSO, Windham’s law enforcement career began in 1992 where he served as Shelby County Constable Precinct 2 until July 2005.
Windham worked as a patrol officer for the Center Police Department from October 2005-March 2008.
After leaving CPD, Windham worked as the Chief Investigator at the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office from July 2008 until September 2013. Windham served as a patrol deputy for the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office from October 2013 to April 2014.
Investigator Windham has advanced special training in homicide investigation and interviewing and interrogation and holds a master peace officer certification.
Del Birdwell, former patrol deputy, was promoted to the Criminal Investigations Division.
Birdwell began his full-time career at the SCSO in May 2016. Birdwell received his peace officers license in 2001.
He worked as a reserve deputy for the SCSO in 2001 under former sheriff James Moore.
Birdwell worked for the Nacogdoches Fire Department for a total of 20 years. For six years he served as shift investigator. For five years he served as fire marshal. Investigator Birdwell also worked as a full-time investigator for the Nacogdoches Fire Marshal’s Office.
Birdwell holds an advanced peace officer’s certification. He is a certified intermediate EMT; advanced firefighter; advanced arson investigator and inspector; TCOLE instructor; and level II fire instructor.
Michael Griffin, former patrol sergeant, was promoted to the Criminal Investigations Division.
Griffin served in the United States Army at Fort Hood, Texas from 2005-2010. He served two deployments to Iraq. In 2011, Griffin graduated from the Capital Area Council of Governments Police Academy in Austin. He began his career at the SCSO in 2011 as a patrol deputy and was promoted to patrol sergeant in 2015.
Cody Muse will serve as Patrol Sergeant at the SCSO. Muse began working at the SCSO in 2013 as a patrol deputy.
Muse began his career in law enforcement in 1997. He worked for the Center Police Department for 14-months and was a State Trooper for the Texas Department of Public Service for 11 years. Sergeant Muse is a master peace officer and firearms instructor.
Submitted by Leah Chase, Media Information
Shelby County Sheriff’s Office
