About Tom Jones

I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in July of 1962.  My father, Eugene, was a Police Officer for the Cincinnati Police Department and my mother worked for the Cincinnati Milling Machine since WWII.  My mother and father also had four other children.  When my father retired from the police department, he decided to move us to Florida; he had heard that the bass fishing was great there.  We first moved to an area of the Kissimmee River in central Florida. In 1967, this part of Florida was untamed.  I became much acquainted with alligators, airboats and fishing on the river. It was great!  The bad part of this was how far it was from the nearest store; one hour.  My mother wanted to move closer to town, so my father found a very small town called Frostproof. 

Frostproof was and still is that typical small town very similar to Blairsville, just smaller.  I went to school there and grew-up playing and working in the local orange groves.  Frostproof is also known for cattle.  I would work during the summer stringing-up fence.  Friends that I made in Frostproof I still have to this day. 

Around the time I was fourteen, my mother suddenly became ill with cancer.  Once a week, we would travel to Gainesville, Florida, over three hours away for her treatments.   This was also financially stressful, so I was issued a federal work permit and I went to work before and after school.   Many times over the next four years, we all thought that were going to lose her at any moment.  In an attempt to control the cancer, the doctors removed her left arm, left shoulder and three ribs. For a while, she seemed to get better, but at the beginning of my senior year the cancer reappeared in her colon.  I can remember my mother telling me; the only reason she was holding on was to see me graduate. 

For my graduation, my senior class arranged for EMS volunteers to transport her from the hospital to the graduation.  She was able to watch me receive my diploma.  Several days later standing next to her hospital bed with my father and sister, I held her hand as she went home.  My mother was one of the strongest women I have ever known.

Once we lost my mother, my father and I became even closer.  We went fishing together and spent a lot of time sitting around talking.  I loved hearing my father tell old police stories.  I went to work for the Florida Department of Corrections as a Correctional Officer at the age of eighteen.  At night, I attended the police academy and graduated with a 4.0 GPA.  At the age of nineteen, I became one of youngest Deputies ever hired by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.  I was so young; my father had to buy my weapon and ammo.  Once I became a Deputy, he would sometimes ride along with me during my shift. 

While working midnight shift with the sheriff’s office, I had answered a fight call at a local bar when I received a radio message that my father had passed away of a heart attack. 

I offer this information not trying to impress you, but to give you a glimpse of how I grew-up.  I am sure like other fathers, my father told me; “what does not kill you will make you stronger”.  I believe this.  My mother, father and the rest of my family would sacrifice it all to help another family member or someone in need.  Through my roots, I have learned to say what I mean and mean what I say.  When conducting personal and professional business, you either do what’s right or you do what’s wrong.  There are no gray areas.  I will always do what is right regardless of how it may affect me. 

This is the core principle I offer if elected Sheriff.

Kelly, my wife, was born and raised in Lakeland, Florida.  She and her sister Kimber both attended a local Christian school.  Her father, Gary, now retired, was involved in the engineering field which often took him abroad on projects.  Kelly’s mother, Beverly, was always there for the girls at home.  I met Kelly shortly after she had returned home from living overseas for several months with her mother and father on an engineering project.  I loved her at first sight.  We married in 1989 and will be celebrating our 19 Th. year anniversary this May. 

Florida has rapidly grown and is no longer the small farming area that Kelly and I grew-up in.  In 2005 while vacationing in Blairsville, Kelly and I fell in love with the area and people.  Once we returned back to Florida; to the surprise of our family and friends, we sold our home and moved to Blairsville in 2006.  We have made Blairsville our home.  We live just two miles outside of town in a small older brick home. 

Kelly and I look forward to the opportunity to meet each and every citizen in Union County. 

Professional Summary

Lake Wales Police Department

Explorer Officer (Teenager)

Lake Wales Police Department

Auxiliary Police Officer

Florida Department of Corrections

Correctional Officer

Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Deputy Sheriff

Research Reports, Inc.

Chief Investigator

RE/MAX (Florida)

Realtor

RE/MAX (Georgia)

Realtor / General Manager

Law Enforcement Experience

Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Bartow, Florida

Deputy Sheriff (Patrol Deputy & Field Training Officer)

Special Agent & E.R.T. Team Member (Emergency Response Team) (Undercover Narcotics)

I have been trained in special weapons, hand-to-hand defense, and search warrant preparations and execution, high risk felony arrest and hostage situations.  I have prepared and executed many drug and felony search warrants.  During my service with the undercover narcotics unit of the sheriff’s office, it was my honor and privilege to have work with some of the most dedicated and professional group of officers I have ever known. Most of the narcotics agents were also on the E.R.T. team.  I can tell you for a fact, if you were a bad guy, you would never want this group of guys coming after you.  On an average, we would prepare and serve approximately 3 to 5 search warrants a week.  This was also in addition to high risk felony arrest and other type of callouts we would have to handle.  If we were not working, we were training.  It was full speed all the time.  The Polk County Sheriff’s Office E.R.T. team was and still is one of the most respected and well trained Emergency Response Teams in the nation. 

Detective (Criminal Intelligence Section)

I worked as an undercover Detective investigating gang activity and organized crime.  In addition, I occasionally worked executive security.  I worked with the Secret Service for two months during President George Bush Sr. re-election efforts in Florida. 

Detective (Liaison Officer)

As the Liaison Officer, I worked directly for the Sheriff and State Attorney.  I was responsible for overseeing felony cases that were sent to the State Attorney’s Office for prosecution.  In addition, I was the Career Criminal Coordinator for Polk County.  I assisted the Sheriff’s Office and State Attorney’s Office in the successful prosecution of three time felony offenders.  Our goal was the sentencing and incarceration of these felons for twenty years to life.  I really enjoyed that.

Private Sector

As Chief Investigator and manager for a large multi state private investigative firm, I conducted and supervised investigations for large private companies. 

Currently

Realtor and General Manager for RE/MAX Around The Mountains.  I am licensed in Georgia and Florida.