Tomas Worstell was sworn in as a Deputy Sheriff with the Wood County Sheriff’s Department on Thursday by Wood County Commission President Blair Couch. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG — Tomas Worstell was sworn in as a Deputy Sheriff with the Wood County Sheriff’s Department on Thursday by Wood County Commission President Blair Couch.

Worstell comes to the sheriff’s department after over 22 years with the Parkersburg Police Department.

Wood County Sheriff Rick Woodyard said Worstell will be the new School Resource Officer based at Blennerhassett Middle School and will work with other schools in the area.

Woodyard said they had to pull the former School Resource Officer from the position last year due to a manpower shortage within the department. However, recruitment efforts have gotten their numbers back up to a point where they are almost at full staff again and they can have a deputy back in the schools, he said.

“We are proud to have him onboard,” Woodyard said of Worstell.

Commissioner Jimmy Colombo commended Worstell who he has known since he started with the police department when Colombo was mayor.