Shields also worked for more than 10 years with the Polk County Sheriff&squo;s Office, both under former sheriffs Boyce Carswell and David Satterfield. Shields also worked with the Tryon Police Department, where he served as police chief.

Just a few years ago, Shields served two tours in Afghanistan and Iraq with the Army National Guard Military Police.

Current Polk County Sheriff Donald Hill was appointed to the position last November by county commissioners to fill the final two years of former sheriff Chris Abril&squo;s term.&bsp; Abril plead guilty last year to felony indecent liberty charges and his law enforcement certification was terminated. Both Shields and Hill worked under former sheriff Satterfield, where Shields did not return after Abril won the office and Hill was fired by Abril.

Filing for the sheriff position as well as other county offices will be sometime in February, 2010.