Sarasota County Schools Police Department (SCSPD) lieutenant Duane Oakes has been named the school district's new chief of police and executive director of safety and security, effective Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. Oakes has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience; he holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Colorado Technical University and received his Equivalence of Training (Florida Department of Law Enforcement Certification) from Chipola College. He is a graduate of the 215th session of the FBI National Academy and has training as an Emergency Medical Technician from Trinidad State Junior College. Oakes began his time with the SCSPD as a sergeant, when the department was first formed in 2018, and was promoted to lieutenant in 2019. Prior to joining Sarasota County Schools, he was chief of police for the Alamosa Police Department.