Former Marine, federal prosecutor to run for sheriff

Scott Jones has announced his candidacy for Kootenai County Sheriff.

The election will take place in 2020.

“Scott Jones has spent the past nine years finding and removing hundreds of child rapists, murderers, drug dealers and fraudsters from society,” said a news release.

Jones served first as a state prosecutor, and then as a federal prosecutor. In those positions, he trained, supervised, and worked hand-in-hand with dozens of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers.

Before beginning his career in prosecution, Jones served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, leading enlisted Marines and deploying twice to Iraq.

Jones began his legal education at the University of Virginia in the fall of 2002, committed to serving in the Marine Corps as a judge advocate.

When told by his recruiter that the Iraq war was imminent, Jones chose to take an extended leave of absence from law school and reported to Officer Candidates School in January 2003.

One of fewer than half the candidates to graduate, Jones was commissioned a second lieutenant and began the Marine Corps’ Basic Officer Course in April 2003. Selected for Intelligence halfway through that course, then-Lieutenant Jones graduated in the top 5 percent of his class, and then attended and graduated as the top Marine in the Naval Intelligence Officer Basic Course. Assignment to the fleet and two Iraq deployments followed.

After serving his country, Jones returned to law school, where he was awarded the Ritter Prize, which is awarded by peer nomination based on character, honor, and integrity.

“Mr. Jones is dedicated to protecting the people of Kootenai County,” the news release said. “Should they choose him as their sheriff, he will put the leadership skills he learned in the Marine Corps and his expertise in crime, criminals, and the criminal justice system to work to protect them. As sheriff, he and his deputies will have one mission — to keep Kootenai County safe.”

Jones announced that 30-year law enforcement veteran Sgt. Kip Hollenbeck has agreed to serve as undersheriff.

Jones and Hollenbeck have worked together for years. Together they have investigated, arrested, prosecuted, and incarcerated dozens of drug dealers and child sex traffickers.

“I’m running for sheriff because I live in this community, I love this community, and I am confident I can keep it safer than anyone else,” Jones said in the release.