Sheriff Larry Stelma is proud to announce the promotion of Lisa Plowman, Scott Swem, and Scott Nibbelink to the rank of Lieutenant within the Corrections Division and the promotion of Ron Gates and Jeff McAlary to Lieutenant within the Law Enforcement division.

Lt. Lisa Plowman

Lt. Plowman is a 19-year-veteran of the Kent County Sheriff’s Department. She has spent her career in the corrections division. Prior to being hired by the KCSD in 1990, she served five years active duty in the United States Army. In 2002 she was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Lt. Plowman is involved in many professional organizations, including the National Law Enforcement Training Center, Michigan Sheriff’s Special Investigative Operations Network, and The National Jail Leadership Academy. She is also very active with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and has raised over $20,000 toward this important cause. Lisa is married with two children.

Lt. Scott Swem

Lt. Swem joined the Kent County Sheriff’s Office in 1987, as a part-time reserve officer. In 1992, he was hired as a corrections officer. Lt. Swem earned his sergeant stripes in 1998. He has held many critical positions within the correctional facility, including supervising the third shift corrections officers and an assignment at the Honor Camp (a facility in northern Kent County for youthful offenders).  Lt. Swem also plays an important role in the Sheriff’s Mounted Unit.

Lt. Ron Gates

Lt. Gates was hired on January 15, 1996 as a patrol deputy. During his tenure as a patrolman, he was selected and trained as field training officer and paramedic. In January of 2000, he was transferred to the detective bureau as a general case detective. He also worked as a major case detective and investigator assigned to the Children’s Assessment Center. Along with being an accomplished detective, he was selected as deputy of the year in 2004, and serves on the hostage negotiating team. In 2005, Ron was promoted to sergeant in the investigative division, where he was in charge of the Major Case team and Burglary Theft team. Ron’s current assignment is second shift patrol Lieutenant. Ron is married with two children.

Lt. Jeff McAlary

Lt. McAlary started his law enforcement career in 1986 as a cadet with the Kent County Sheriff Department. In 1989, he was hired by the Ypsilanti Police Department as a road patrol officer. He was also assigned to the Livingston and Washtenaw Narcotics Team as a narcotics investigator. In 1994, he returned to the Kent County Sheriff Department as a road patrol deputy. In 1998, he was assigned to the Investigative Division, where he had various assignments, including General Case detective, Family Services detective, Major Case detective, and Cold Case detective. In 2004 he was promoted to Detective Sergeant, where he served until 2007, when he transferred to road patrol, working out of the south precinct. Late in 2008 he transferred to the Community Services Unit, until his promotion to Lieutenant in January 2009. Jeff’s current assignment is 2nd shift Road Patrol Lieutenant. He has been married to his wife Jane for 14 years, and they have five children together.

Lt. Scott Nibbelink

Lt. Nibbelink was hired by the Kent County Sheriff Department in January of 1999. He worked various assignments within the correctional facility during his first three years. In the spring of 2001, he graduated from the police academy at Grand Rapids Community College. In the spring of 2002, he was assigned to the Court Security & Transfer Division. In April of 2006, he was promoted to Sergeant. In September 2009, he was promoted to Lieutenant of the Court Security & Transfer Division. In March 2009, he attended and graduated from the first National Jail Leadership Command Academy. Scott has been married to his wife Terri for 14 years. They have three children together.

Other

Sheriff Stelma would also like to congratulate the following employees who were recently promoted to Sergeant:

Road patrol: Alan Roetman promoted May 5, 2009

Corrections: Melissa Frederick, Tim Kraii and Tom Paauwe on November 9, 2009 and Mike Maxwell on December 31, 2009.