TALLAHASSEE
- Governor Charlie Crist today appointed Alvin "Al" D. Nienhuis II as H
ernando County Sheriff.
"Al's 15 years as a dedicated law enforcement officer have given him the experience and skills he needs to honorably serve the people of Hernando County," Governor Crist said. "The leadership he has shown as an undersheriff for nearly a decade have prepared him to serve as one of the top law enforcement officers in our state.
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Nienhuis' law enforcement career began in 1985 with the Florida Marine Patrol, where he first volunteered and later worked part-time. Since 2001, he has served as the Undersheriff for the Pasco Sheriff's Office, where he has been responsible for all detention and law enforcement daily operations.
From 1989 to 2000, he served in the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, first as a special agent, then a sergeant, in the Clearwater District Office; later as a lieutenant in the Sarasota District Office, and as a captain in the Fort Myers District Office. He has served on the Pasco-Hernando Community College Law Enforcement Training Advisory Board since 2001.
Nienhuis, 47, earned a bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida. A graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, he is planning to complete a master's degree in business administration in 2011.
Nienhuis
will serve until January 7, 2013, and will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Sheriff Richard Nugent, who was recently elected to the United States House of Representatives.
