OWENSBORO Ky. — The Daviess County Sheriff’s Office welcomed a new member to its staff. But, this time around, it’s just not your typical hire.
Jeff Rhinerson was sworn into the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office. He is the first man with Down Syndrome in Kentucky to be a paid deputy.
Rhinerson is officially a court security officer at the Morton Holbrook Judicial Center in Owensboro.
Rhinerson said, “It’s like a dream come true. They know me well, and they treat me like a friend.”
Brad Youngman, Daviess County sheriff, hired Rhinerson and said, “I think everybody in Owensboro, for the most part, knows Jeff. Jeff’s always been in the community. He’s an advocate, he’s a leader.”
Before starting his job at the sheriff’s office, he worked at an area bank and the farm supply store, Rural King. He was in customer service in those jobs and he would meet and greet customers, making friends along the way.
But Rhinerson’s talents aren’t limited to his job. He hosts a Facebook Live show called, “Live with Jeffery Rhinerson.” It was through the show that Youngman met Rhinerson.
Youngman said, “He interviews local leaders, and he asked me to be a guest on that show and I was very flattered to be on that show. We really got to know each other pretty well during that, and pretty much we’ve been friends ever since.”
Rhinerson got his job with the sheriff’s department with the help of a nonprofit called Puzzle Pieces, an organization that helps people with disabilities. Kitty Jones, the director of employment opportunities, said she saw passion within Jeff, and wanted to give him a job that suited those high passions.
Jones said, “He wants to always grow in his career. He’s very community driven. We reached out to Brad [Youngman] to talk to him about customized employment. Which is customized to fit their need and the business’ needs.”
So when Youngman got the call, he couldn’t resist the idea of hiring someone as reputable as Rhinerson.
Youngman said, “I immediately called my senior staff into a meeting, and identified a position we were planning on doing away with, and said ‘Hey, we have the funding, we know Jeff, we know the program, and said yeah we’ll absolutely do this.’ Called them back and said we’ll make this happen.”
Rhinerson can continue to be a shining example of believing in himself, embracing himself, and never giving up on his dreams. He told Spectrum News 1, “Continue to put yourself first. We are unique people.”