Jenkins joins ATF as special agent
By Kathy Helms-Hughes
STAR STAFF
khughes@starhq.com
Carter County Sheriff's Department Investigator
Lt. Jamie Jenkins was hoping to crack an Internet fraud case
before leaving the sheriff's department in late August. However,
it was not to be.
Jenkins, 33, a graduate of Hampton High School,
is now serving as a special agent for the Federal Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in an undisclosed location.
Jenkins joined the Air Force after graduation
and served as a Security Police officer. After leaving the
military, he joined the sheriff's department, starting out
as a dispatcher. After one year, he became a patrol officer
and was then promoted to shift sergeant in the early 1990s.
In 1995, he became lieutenant, commanding a patrol shift.
Jenkins later made a lateral transfer to the
First Judicial District Drug Task Force, where he worked for
more than a year while returning to college and getting his
degree in political science with a minor in criminal justice.
After graduation from college, Jenkins returned
to the sheriff's department and took over the Criminal Investigation
Division. He had been commander of the department's SWAT team
for the last six years and a member of the team for nearly
9-1/2 years.
Jenkins expressed disappointment at not being
able to complete his last investigation -- the Mary Crawford
Internet auction case.
"I was working on solving the case before leaving,
but it doesn't look like it's going to happen. She's nowhere
to be found," he said.
"I've enjoyed my career here and working with
all the men and women. I thoroughly enjoyed working under
Sheriff [John] Henson. He and Chief [James] Parrish both have
been a mentor to me and they've stood behind me and supported
me in my division here and with the SWAT team," he said.
During the last several years, Jenkins said he
had seen some major advances in the area of law enforcement.
"Equipment, technology, and forensics have changed for the
good," he said.
Jenkins is married to television reporter Karen
Cole. The couple have an 8-year-old daughter and "one on the
way," he said.
