Posted by: Media Relations
Sheriff Mike Boudreaux is proud to announce the promotions of four staff members. Jason Kennedy and Chad Rhyman are to be promoted to the rank of Sergeant, while Chris Douglass and Duane Cornett will be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.
A promotional ceremony will take place on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 2 PM at the Tulare County Board of Supervisor’s Chambers, located at 2800 W. Burrel Avenue.
Jason Kennedy has been a part of Law Enforcement for over 20 years.
He was hired by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department in September of 1994. He was initially assigned to Detentions where he worked at both Bob Wiley and the Main Jail until 1997. In 1998 he was chosen to be a part of a Transition Team that worked together in the development of the Adult Pre-Trial Facility.
In 1999 he attended and graduated the COS police academy and was immediately assigned to patrol. While assigned to patrol he served as a Field Training Officer both the Porterville and Headquarters substations.
In 2002 he was assigned to the detective division where he worked in Crimes Against Children, Violent Crimes, Domestic Violence and North End Property. While assigned to the detective division, he also became a part of the Hostage Negotiation Team and for several years served as the only Computer Voice Stress Examiner assigned to handle criminal investigations.
Jason is married to his wife Ellen of 23 years and has 2 children, Tyler 16 and Dana 13.
Sergeant Chad Rhyman graduated from the Basic Police Academy in 1999. He was hired as a Deputy I in 2000. He has worked in Detentions, Patrol, the Community Based Officer program, Detectives, STEP, NARCS, and Property Crimes.
He is currently a member of our Sniper Team.
Chad is supported by his wife, Devin, and their children, Taylor and Ty.
Lieutenant Chris Douglass graduated from the Basic Police Academy in 1997, and was the top ranked female in her graduating class. She was hired a year later in 1998 and worked in Detentions, Patrol, and the Crime Lab.
In 2005, she was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. As a sergeant, she was assigned to the Bob Wiley Detention Facility, Personnel and Training, Public Information, and most recently in the Crime Lab. While working as the Public Information Officer, she was the lead PIO for numerous cases and special details, including Operation LOCUST, the Exeter bank robbery, and the Angelita de Orosi cases. She was also instrumental in bringing the Sheriff’s Department up to date with social media use, and helped coordinate the Department Open House, which is now a Department tradition.
She has Basic and Intermediate POST certifications, and is a graduate of the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute.
Chris is supported by her son Dakota, her mother Stefania, sisters Rachel and Erica, and her family.
Lieutenant Duane Cornett was born in Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan while his father served there in the Air Force. After his family relocated to California, he graduated from the Fresno City College Police Academy in 1992. He began his career in Law Enforcement outside of the Sheriff’s Department working for Kingsburg Police Department and Table Mountain Police Department, he was hired in 1999 as a Deputy I, and worked in Patrol and Detectives.
In 2009, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and worked in Patrol, the Civil Division, Internal Affairs, and Narcotics, before returning to Internal Affairs which was his most recent assignment.
He has Basic, Intermediate and Advanced POST certificates and is a graduate of the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Academy, and is currently attending college to complete his Bachelor’s Degree. Duane has also served on the Sergeants Advisory Committee and as a Lead Hostage Negotiator.
Duane has received multiple commendations, including one in 2006 from Assemblyman Bill Maze for his work on the case of a missing child, Crystal Figueroa, and one in 2007 he received the Robert Presley Institute of Criminal Investigation “Investigative Excellence” award by POST.
He has also served as an Executive Board member for the Tulare County Deputy Sheriff’s Association and with PORAC.
Duane is supported by his wife Jenny, and children Adrianna, Jason, Alyssa, Justin – who is currently in US Army Basic Training – and Taylor and his parents Shirley and Jim Moir, and Susan Cornett.