The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office announces promotions of the following personnel after a swearing in ceremony earlier this month. Officers and new titles are as follows:

Detention Capt. Jim Feree

The Rowan Sheriff’s Office hired Feree in April 1993 as a detention officer. Feree worked in the jail until completing basic law enforcement training in 1998 at Davidson County Community College. He worked in the Detention Center, as patrol and in the civil division. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army, where he had experience in military corrections and completed the U.S. Army Sergeant Majors Academy. Feree is the first African-American Detention Center captain in the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.

Detention Lieutenant Audrey Rankin-Mackey

The Sheriff’s Office hired Rankin-Mackey in February 1997 as a detention center officer. She was previously a master detention center officer and a sergeant. In March 1997, Rankin-Mackey completed the detention officer certification course at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. In June 2013, Rankin-Mackey earned her advanced detention certificate.

Detention Lieutenant Joseph F. Gagliardia

The Rowan Sheriff’s Office hired Gagliardia in April 2012 as a detention center officer. He served as a detention officer and as the Detention Center’s classification officer. He has 28 years of experience with the New York Department of Corrections.

Special Investigations Sergeant Kevin Black

The Sheriff’s Office hired Black in June 2011. He holds an associate’s degree from Davidson Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Catawba College. Black completed basic law enforcement training in 1995 and has served 10 years with the Iredell County and five years with Davidson County sheriff’s offices. He’s also served 20 years with the Army National Guard and Navy Reserves. Black was deployed from 2007 and 2008 during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Master Deputy Paul Eagle

The Sheriff’s Office hired Eagle in November 1996. Eagle completed basic law enforcement training and the detention officer certification course at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. He has served as a detention center, patrol officer and civil division officer. Eagle will serve as a master deputy on C-Squad Patrol.

Criminal Investigator Travis Zimmerman

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office hired Zimmerman in July 2010. He attended and graduated with a basic law enforcement training in 2009 from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. He has served as patrol officer in the criminal division. Investigator Zimmerman served eight years in the U.S. Navy and two years inactive as a corpsman. In 1992, Zimmerman was deployed during the Bosnian War in a peace keeping mission.

Criminal Investigator Karen Brindle

In June 1994, the sheriff’s office hired Brindle and she has served as a dispatcher, master detention center, detention sergeant and a lieutenant. Brindle earned her advanced detention certification. She is assigned to the criminal division as a sex offender register.