Officer Samuel “Sam” Harmon came to the Tazewell Police Department from the State of West Virginia, where he worked as both a municipal police officer and a deputy sheriff.  Officer Harmon began his law enforcement career in 1989 when he joined the Welch Police Department in Welch, WV.  He attended Basic Police Officer training at the West Virginia State Police Academy in Institute, WV, finishing second in his class academically.

            In 1995, Officer Harmon relocated to Jefferson County, WV, where he joined the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.  While employed at the sheriff’s office, Officer Harmon worked in several capacities, beginning as a uniformed patrol deputy.  Later that year, he was assigned to the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force where he worked as a plain-clothes investigator, handling the investigation of narcotics crimes and drug-related violent crimes in Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan Counties in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

            During the course of his employment with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Officer Harmon consistently rose through the ranks, earning promotions to Corporal, Patrol Sergeant and Detective Sergeant.  After being promoted to Detective Sergeant, Officer Harmon “wrote the book” for the Criminal Investigation Division, putting into place the policies and procedures that are still followed by members of the JCSO CID to this day.

            In March of 2005, Officer Harmon relocated to his home in McDowell County, WV, due to family considerations.  For a brief period, he was re-employed by the Welch Police Department.  In July 2005, he joined the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office and became one of four (4) resource officers assigned to schools in McDowell County, as well as acting as a regular patrol deputy during school holidays and summer vacations.

            During his storied career, Officer Harmon has received training and certifications in many facets of the law enforcement profession.  Some of these include:  Advanced Narcotics Enforcement, Advanced Criminal Investigation (Criminal Profiling), Investigating Serial and Sexual Homicide, Crime Scene Photography, Crime Scene Management and Evidence Collection, Emergency Vehicle Operation and Pursuit Driving, NRA Certified Law Enforcement Handgun/Shotgun Instructor, DARE Officer, and Prevention Resource Officer (what West Virginia calls their school resource officers).