NEWS RELEASE 22-001 - JANUARY 7, 2022

From left: Sergeant Daniel Levanti, Lieutenant Adam Shaw, Captain Brigit Leonard,
Major Ryan Brown, Colonel Brian Woodring, and Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman.

Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman is pleased to promote five sheriff’s office members to new ranks.

Detective Daniel Levanti is promoted to the rank of Sergeant assigned to the Patrol Bureau. Levanti joined the sheriff’s office in 2013 when he was hired as a Court Services deputy. He transferred to the Patrol Bureau in 2014 and joined the SWAT Team the following year where he currently serves as a sniper. Levanti was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Section in 2018 and served as a member of the United States Secret Service Financial Task Force. Throughout his career, he received the Meritorious Achievement and Life Saving Awards and was named Law Enforcement Division Employee of the Month in 2016. Levanti is a certified firearms instructor and completed the Florida SWAT Association basic SWAT school and Florida Sheriffs Association’s sniper course. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida.

Sergeant Adam Shaw is promoted to the rank of Lieutenant assigned to the Patrol Bureau. Shaw began his career in 2010 when he earned his law enforcement certification and joined the sheriff’s office as a patrol deputy. Over the course of his career, Shaw worked in the agency’s Tactical Unit, Criminal Investigations Section, Special Investigations Section, and Intelligence Unit. He received the Congressional Law Enforcement Unit Citation Award in 2019, Life Saving Award in 2021, and has been nominated for Employee of the Month several times. Shaw is a current member of the sheriff’s office SWAT Team and serves as the lead team trainer. He also holds certifications in energetic breaching, firearms instruction, and more. Shaw earned his associate’s degree from Columbia Southern University.

Lieutenant Brigit Leonard is promoted to the rank of Captain assigned to the Patrol Bureau. Leonard began her career with the sheriff’s office in 1989 as a civilian clerk typist eventually serving as a Crime Analyst and secretary for the Special Investigations Section. Following the completion of the criminal justice academy in 1999, she transferred to the Law Enforcement Division as a patrol deputy. Leonard was promoted to Sergeant in 2009 and again to Lieutenant in 2015. Throughout her career, she worked in the Court Services, Emergency Operations, and Patrol Bureaus. Leonard also received a Meritorious Achievement Award and two Life Saving Awards. She is a graduate of the Women in Law Enforcement Leadership Institute, Florida Leadership Academy, and Southern Police Institute’s 75th Command Officer Development Course through the University of Louisville. Leonard earned her associate’s degree from Manatee Community College and her bachelor’s degree from Ashford University.

Captain Ryan Brown is promoted to the rank of Major assigned to the Law Enforcement Division. Brown joined the sheriff’s office in 1997 as a corrections deputy recruit. He earned his associate’s degree as well as both his corrections and law enforcement certifications in 1998 and was nominated for Corrections Officer of the Year in 2001. The following year, Brown joined the Law Enforcement Division as a patrol deputy where he would continue to get involved with the agency’s Emergency Response Team and SWAT team. Throughout his career, Brown worked in the Criminal Investigations Section, Patrol Bureau, Civil Section, and Special Operations Bureau. In 2014, Brown began serving as the SWAT Team Commander where he helped the team earn many awards during several regional SWAT competitions. Brown is a graduate of the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association’s 306th Command Institute for Law Enforcement Executives, the Southern Police Institute’s 73rd Command Officer Development Course, the National Tactical Officers Association’s SWAT Command Leadership Course, and the 9th Florida Sheriffs Association Commanders Academy. He currently serves as agency’s High Risk Incident Commander (HRIC) and holds his bachelor’s degree in Criminology from the University of South Florida.

Major Brian Woodring is promoted to Chief Deputy with the rank of Colonel. Woodring joined the sheriff’s office in 1996 when he was hired as a deputy assigned to the Patrol Bureau. Over the course of his career, Woodring worked in the Criminal Investigations Section, Community Policing Unit, Youth Services Section, DUI Unit, Intelligence Unit, and Emergency Operations Bureau. In 2010, Woodring joined the agency’s SWAT Team, and in 2017, he graduated from the National Tactical Officers Association’s SWAT Team Leader Development Course. He received the Life Saving Award in 2014 after rendering aid, while off-duty, to a man suffering a heart attack. In 2018, Woodring graduated from the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association’s 306th Command Institute for Law Enforcement Executives, as well as the 241st Executive Leadership Institute. Also in 2018, he assumed the role of SWAT Team Commander and was promoted to the rank of Captain. Woodring is a graduate of both the FBI’s Florida Executive Development Seminar and Southern Police Institute’s 77th Command Officer Development Course through the University of Louisville. He currently serves on the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) as well as the board of directors for Teen Court of Sarasota. Woodring earned his bachelor’s degree from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania where he was the captain of the Slippery Rock football team and became an All-American. He also holds a master’s degree from the University of South Florida.

“This is an outstanding day for our agency and community,” commented Sheriff Hoffman. “I am proud to promote five deserving members who have elevated through the ranks by leading with integrity and respect. They will undoubtedly do great things with their continued commitment to serving the citizens of Sarasota County.”