Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Meet our Faculty and Staff
Deborah McCarley
Coordinator of A.S. Degree in Criminal Justice Technology
and B.S. Degree in Criminal Justice – Applied Intelligence Studies
office: (904) 808-7432
Bio
Threasa Owens, Basic Law Enforcement Coordinator
Threasa Owens served with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) for 14 years. She held positions in Dispatch, as a Field Training Officer, a SWAT Support Member, and on the Rifle Security Team. Ms. Owens also served in the Criminal Investigations Unit for 6 years investigating child sex crimes and as a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. In 2020, she was promoted to Corporal and assisted with the road patrol supervisors. Ms. Owens is an FDLE Certified General and First Aid Instructor. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Phoenix. Ms. Owens remains a certified law enforcement officer with the PCSO reserve unit and resides in Putnam County, Florida, with her husband Tommy Jay Owens.
John Donlon, Basic Law Enforcement Coordinator
John Donlon retired from the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office as a Commander after serving for over 31 years. Mr. Donlon is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University. He has been teaching in the Criminal Justice field since 1989 to include the Law Enforcement Academy, Correctional Officers Academy, and Advanced and Specialized Courses. Mr. Donlon served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Nimitz prior to beginning his career in law enforcement.
Brian Harrington - Advanced and Specialized Coordinator
Brian Harrington retired from the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office as a Commander after serving for 27 years. He has supervised many different areas of the Sheriff’s Office from Patrol to Investigations. Mr. Harrington has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Colombia and a Master of Administration Degree from Barry University. He has attended the Southern Police Institute’s Command Officers Development Course and Leadership St. Johns. He has been an Adjunct instructor for SJRSC since 2004 covering all the high liability topics and many advanced & specialized courses as well as the Academy classes.
Angela Sockwell, High Liability Coordinator
Ms. Sockwell holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Troy University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management from Warner University and is a graduate of the Certified Public Manager program though Florida State University. She was a member of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for 17 years and retired at the rank of lieutenant. Ms. Sockwell has an extensive background working and supervising criminal investigations, to include: homicide, sex crimes, crimes against children, undercover narcotics, white collar crimes, and organized/vice crimes. Ms. Sockwell is a CJSTC certified General, Vehicle Operations, and Defensive Tactics Instructor. Ms. Sockwell was assigned to the Polk State College, Kenneth C. Thompson Institute of Public Safety (KCTIPS) where she was a law enforcement academy training coordinator for three years. She actively participated in the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) process where KCTIPS became the first criminal justice academy associated with a college in the nation to be awarded Accreditation with Excellence.
Deborah McCarley -
Coordinator of A.S. Degree in Criminal Justice Technology
and B.S. Degree in Criminal Justice – Applied Intelligence Studies
Deborah McCarley retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a Supervisory Special Agent in Jacksonville, FL after serving for 22 years. As a Special Agent with the FBI, Ms. McCarley investigated a myriad of criminal offenses to include Domestic Terrorism, Violent Crimes, Crimes Against Children, and White-Collar Crimes. In additional to her investigative duties, Ms. McCarley was also a member of the FBI Phoenix Division’s Evidence Response Team for twelve years processing crime scenes and served as the Media Coordinator for four years handling press releases and press conferences for the Phoenix Division. She was later assigned to the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA, and then to the FBI’s Jacksonville Division. Previous to her position with the FBI, Ms. McCarley was a Police Officer with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for six years. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Linda Cruz - Coordinator for the Associate in Science Degree in Paralegal Studies
Linda Cruz brings over twenty-five years of experience as a Paralegal, having held positions in both traditional law firms and corporate legal departments. Her extensive background includes not only practical legal work but also significant contributions to the education and training of paralegal professionals. As an Adjunct Instructor with National Paralegal College and through her teaching of continuing education courses on local, state, and national platforms, Linda has shared her knowledge and expertise with many in the field. She holds an Associate of Arts degree in Secondary Education from Miami Dade College, a Bachelor of Liberal Studies in Paralegal Studies from Barry University, and a Master of Science in Legal Studies from National Juris University. Linda is also an Advanced Certified Paralegal through NALA and a Florida Registered Paralegal with The Florida Bar. Linda is passionate about the paralegal field and is dedicated to sharing that passion with future students. Linda serves as the Program Coordinator and full-time faculty member for the A.S. degree in Paralegal Studies program at St. Johns River State College, where she continues to educate and inspire the next generation of paralegals.