Hernando County Sheriff's Office

Major Shaun Klucznik, Jail Administrator for the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, has completed his term as the 45th President of the American Jail Association, concluding a year leading the nation’s premier association for jail professionals through his “Back to the Basics” platform. Throughout his presidency, Major Klucznik kept AJA focused on the fundamentals of the profession: leadership, accountability, communication, morale, training, advocacy, and staff wellness. Under his direction, AJA strengthened board and committee engagement, modernized governance, expanded training, advanced certification, and elevated the national conversation about the critical role of jail professionals. Among all of it, Major Klucznik may have been most proud of keeping every one of his board meetings on schedule. “Major Klucznik represents the best of what this profession asks for: competence, integrity, and a willingness to serve beyond his own walls. The American Jail Association was fortunate to have him at the helm, and Hernando County is fortunate to have him here. I was glad to support his national service, and he made us all proud.” Sheriff Al Nienhuis During his term, AJA delivered regional leadership academies in Florida, Ohio, and Mississippi, launched an online course with The Justice Clearinghouse, completed the AJA headquarters training room, continued work on a Northeast Regional Training Center with the NYC Department of Correction, and surpassed 1,300 certified jail professionals. AJA also partnered with the National Commission on Correctional Health Care on a virtual conference focused on reducing mortality and improving collaboration between custody and health care staff. Communications and outreach also grew significantly. AJA recorded nearly half a million Facebook views, saw interactions rise nearly 100 percent year over year, increased LinkedIn page visits by 40 percent, and launched the American Jails Podcast, producing nine episodes during the year. Major Klucznik also strengthened AJA’s voice on issues affecting jails nationwide, including inmate communication services funding, recognition of correctional officers, staff wellness, chaplaincy, and telling the true story of the corrections profession. “Serving as President of the American Jail Association was the honor of my career. I am grateful to Sheriff Nienhuis for the trust he placed in me to represent the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office nationally. I am also thankful for the team at the Hernando County Detention Center, who execute at a high level every day. Without them, this opportunity would not have been possible.” Major Shaun Klucznik Major Klucznik now continues his service to AJA as Immediate Past President while remaining committed to the mission of the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and to the professional development of jail leaders across the nation.

Currently Hiring - Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)! The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office is seeking a dedicated and compassionate Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to join our team. This position plays a vital role in providing medical care and support within our detention facility, helping ensure the health and well-being of those in our care. To apply for a position, please visit the link below: https://lnkd.in/eFkHQsEi The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office is an equal opportunity employer.

We’re #hiring a new Staffing & Background Supervisor in Brooksville, Florida. Apply today or share this post with your network.

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Date: February 2, 2026 Sheriff Al Nienhuis is pleased to announce that the Hernando County Detention Center successfully passed its 2026 announced Florida Model Jail Standards (FMJS) inspections, including both the annual operations inspection and the annual medical inspection, with no serious or notable violations. The scheduled operations inspection was conducted on January 27, 2026, by an FMJS team led by James Aguiar, Jr., of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. The inspection team reviewed facility policies and documentation, observed operations, toured housing and support areas, and interviewed staff and inmates. Inspectors commended the cleanliness of the facility and the professionalism of staff. The final report confirmed the Hernando County Detention Center was compliant with all FMJS serious and notable standards. The scheduled medical inspection was also conducted on January 27, 2026, by medical inspectors from Orange County Corrections, with an observer from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Inspectors completed a comprehensive review of clinics, pharmacy operations, sharps and narcotics control, emergency readiness, and compliance with Chapter 9 (Medical Services) of the FMJS. The medical inspection report noted no serious or notable violations and specifically praised the medical staff for being professional, knowledgeable, and prepared. Florida Model Jail Standards establish minimum requirements to ensure the constitutional rights of incarcerated individuals are protected while maintaining safe, secure, and humane jail operations. Florida law now requires facilities to undergo two inspections each year, one announced and one unannounced. Sheriff Al Nienhuis stated, “𝘗𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘧𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦, 𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭-𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺.” Major Shaun Klucznik, Detention Center Administrator, added, “𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢 𝘔𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘭 𝘑𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴. 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.”

𝘾𝘼𝙍𝙀𝙀𝙍 𝙊𝙋𝙋𝙊𝙍𝙏𝙐𝙉𝙄𝙏𝙔: FLEET SUPERVISOR Starting Salary $51,465 Please click the link below to view the fleet supervisor application. https://lnkd.in/eFkHQsEi The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office is an equal opportunity employer.

𝘾𝘼𝙍𝙀𝙀𝙍 𝙊𝙋𝙋𝙊𝙍𝙏𝙐𝙉𝙄𝙏𝙔 - FORENSIC TECHNICIAN Starting salary $48,540.00 Please click the link below to view the FORENSIC TECHNICIAN application. https://lnkd.in/eFkHQsEi The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office is an equal opportunity employer.

On December 11, 2025, Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis announced that Lieutenant Justin Beetz, CJM graduated from the FBI National Academy as a member of Session 296 at Quantico, Virginia. Lieutenant Beetz is the seventh member in Hernando County Sheriff’s Office history to complete this program, and nationally fewer than one percent of officers have the opportunity to attend. The FBI National Academy is a ten week program focused on advanced communication, leadership, and physical fitness. Lieutenant Beetz elected to complete his coursework at the graduate level, earning graduate credits through the University of Virginia. Session 296 included 255 attendees representing 47 states, Washington DC, and 24 countries. Sheriff Al Nienhuis said he knows firsthand how demanding and rewarding the program is, and that Lieutenant Beetz now joins a worldwide network of law enforcement leaders committed to professional excellence and the rule of law. Lieutenant Beetz serves as the Judicial Services Administrative Lieutenant. He began his career with HCSO on April 8, 2013, is dual certified in Corrections and Law Enforcement, and holds both an AS and BS in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration from St. Petersburg College. He is currently completing a master’s degree at the University of Virginia. He is also a National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO) Elite Academy graduate, a Certified Jail Manager through the American Jail Association, and a Florida Model Jail Standards Inspector through the Florida Sheriffs Association. A personal moment during the Academy connected service and sacrifice. Lieutenant Beetz is the son of retired Captain Billy Beetz and the son in law of fallen Captain Scott Bierwiler. While in the program, he briefly wore Captain Bierwiler’s Session 234 cap for a photo beside Captain Bierwiler’s name at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington DC, a tribute to his lasting impact.

Yesterday, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office was proud to welcome American Jail Association (AJA) Executive Director Christopher Daniels, MPA, CAE to the Detention Center. The visit was hosted by Major Shaun Klucznik MA, CJM, CCHP, our Judicial Services Bureau Commander, who also serves as President of the AJA. The day started with a leadership meeting with Sheriff Al Nienhuis and Colonel Ken Hayden to discuss the biggest challenges facing jails today. Sheriff Nienhuis shared his full support for the AJA and its work to improve jail standards across the country. Executive Director Daniels then got a firsthand look at the facility's daily operations, including: • Operations: A tour of the intake, medical, and housing units. • Safety: Watching a housing unit search conducted by Corporal Miller and K9 Nyko. • Reentry: Visiting the Florida Licensing on Wheels program, which helps inmates get valid IDs before they are released, and sitting in on a Reclassification Committee meeting. • Future Growth: Checking the progress on the new warehouse and visitation center currently under construction. We appreciate Executive Director Daniels for visiting, recognizing the hard work of our detention staff, and strengthening the partnership between the HCSO and the American Jail Association.

𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙤 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙮 𝘿𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙛𝙛 𝙀𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙅𝘼 𝘾𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 Nineteen members of the Hernando County Detention Center have earned national professional designations from the American Jail Association through its Jail Manager Certification Commission. Each recipient completed a rigorous review of experience and a four-hour examination developed by the American Jail Association and the Jail Manager Certification Commission. The examination is grounded in professional knowledge and field experience. To earn certification, applicants must demonstrate competence, professionalism, and advanced subject matter expertise. These credentials recognize continuing education and growth in corrections management. Certified Jail Manager (CJM) Sergeant Brad Collito, Sergeant Christina Cruz, Sergeant Gary Wisgarda. Certified Jail Supervisor (CJS) Corporal Laura Martin, Corporal Jessica Wyatt. Certified Jail Officer (CJO) Corporal Devin Boynton, Corporal Donald Brazeau, Corporal Raschelle Lyerly, Corporal Vincent Macchione, Corporal Elizabeth Richards, Deputy Christopher Boreland, Deputy Austin Campbell, Deputy Keith Chesteen, Deputy Iwona Chojnowsky, Deputy Michael Elias, Deputy Edelisa Gonzalez, Deputy Patrick Gorey, Deputy Shannon Hendricks, Deputy Zachary Prezkop. “I know how hard these exams are and everyone who passed should be very proud of this accomplishment. I once saw a jail administrator position in Texas advertised requiring a bachelor’s degree and preferring a master’s degree or AJA CJM certification. That organization recognized the CJM at the same level as a master’s degree, which speaks to the quality of the program and the respect this credential holds in our field,” said Major Shaun Klucznik MA, CJM, CCHP, Jail Administrator and current President of the American Jail Association. “These certifications are not required, but they are earned through hard work and dedication. Our team’s decision to pursue advanced credentials through the American Jail Association shows their pride in what they do and their commitment to doing it the right way. The people of Hernando County can be proud of the professionalism and integrity our staff demonstrate every day as they work to uphold a fair and constitutional jail,” said Sheriff Al Nienhuis.